More than 150 Austin residents filled their Saturday morning with garbage and trash. But for many of the volunteers, it was like a treasure hunt.

Austin’s fourth annual Community Pride Day was held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday to help clean up local parks.

Even with a light rain falling early Saturday, Cub Master Ted Krueger said his scouts still have a good time. Krueger’s 7-year-old son Blaine volunteered last year, and he said they found a refrigerator.

“It’s like a treasure hunt for them — see who can find the neatest thing,” Krueger said.

Many area groups pitched in. About 25 Cub Scouts volunteered to cleanup Sutton Park. Krueger said such volunteer efforts are common for Cub Scouts, and he said the group volunteered to pick up around town even before the first Community Pride Day.

“Part of scouts is giving back,” he said. “It’s all part of what they learn: taking care of the environment, helping the community out. It’s just teaching them to be responsible people.”

Randy Kvam volunteered with his 8-year-old grandson, Teren, who recently joined Cub Scouts.

“This is a good deal for the community to just get together, and it makes the kids feel a part of the community,” Kvam said.

Treasure

Volunteers picked up the trash and debris that’s collected over the winter at many public areas around town, including downtown, Wescott Field, Mill Pond and many of the large public parks around Austin.

Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry director Kim Underwood said it’s such a big job that they focus on the most visible areas. Even though crews weren’t able to get to all the parks, every little bit helps, Underwood said.

That little bit can turn up some interesting items.

Tanya Weckwerth, who volunteered with Austin High School’s Go Green club, said a lot of the most interesting items are found in Turtle Creek like shoes and even a tire. Last year, Weckwerth said she watched a group of teenage boys try to pull a tire filled with mud out of the creek with a tow rope.

“By the time they got done, they were all covered in mud,” she said.

Austin High School science teacher Dena Jacobson and four students volunteered as part of the high school’s Go Green program. Jacobson said it’s important for the students to give back, especially since the community does so much for the high school.

She said it’s a day the students can feel good about what they’re doing while still having fun.

“It’s a great day to be outside with friends,” she said. “They enjoy it, and they have fun. It’s something to feel good about.”

Cleaning up the city isn’t something that’s just for the Go Green club. Jacobson said she encouraged the students in each of her classes Friday to participate, and even e-mailed other staff about the day.

Rain or shine

Community Pride Day is held each year on the final Saturday in April. Since it’s too difficult to reschedule the event, it’s held rain or shine. Organizer Steve King said rain is a common addition to Community Pride Day. However, the rain keeps the trash from blowing away, King said.

Last year, the effort removed 2.5 tons of garbage from around the Austin community. King said the organizers hope that number will decrease with the yearly effort, but there is always garbage that accumulates during the winter.

Before getting to work at 9 a.m., the volunteers met at the pavilion next to Austin Municipal Pool for doughnuts and to be assigned to a park or public spot.

Mayor Tom Stiehm said it was encouraging to see all the people attending to clean up the community.

“How can you be in this crowd and not get pumped?” Stiehm said.

Stiehm said the day helps save money, and it also brings people together.

“This helps reinforce a sense of community,” he said.

Mark Owens volunteered as part of the Austin Coalition for Environmental Sustainability to help sort the recyclables from the trash.

Mark Roberts, who is on the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans board, brought some members of a youth group who had a lock-in at St. Olaf Church Friday night. The youth walked to city pool parking lot for doughnuts, and then they cleaned up around Mill Pond area.

The youth group was participating as part of Join Hands Day, which is an event to bring youth and adults together with volunteering as a common cause.

“It gives the kids an opportunity to see how enjoyable volunteerism actually is,” Roberts said.

Join Hands Day isn’t actually until May 1, but the group performs volunteer activities leading up to the date.

Jim Dunlop, Burt Morlan and about 10 members of the Austin Morning Lions volunteered to clean up Austin Lions Park. Even before Community Pride Day, Lions members cleaned the park each year. But they changed it to match up with the day.

Dunlop said the Lions Club collects donations from the group’s members to maintain and add new features to the park each year. In the next few years, he said they plan to add a new pavilion.

“It’s a nice get together, and we wanted to get this stuff done,” he said.