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Nearly 70 volunteers of all ages braved the snow, wind and cold for Earth Day on April 22, to help clean public spaces in Austin.

The “Sprucing Up Austin” clean-up was organized by United Way of Mower County, Spruce Up Austin, Cedar River Watershed District and Austin Parks, Recreation & Forestry. 

This was the first time in some years that local organizers offered a one-day, community cleanup in which volunteers were assigned cleanup sites. It was inspired by the annual Community Pride Cleanup organized for years by Austin resident Lou Beckel.

Volunteers more than filled the entire back of a Mower Soil and Water Conservation District truck. Mower SWCD and Parks & Recreation then handled the disposal of the garbage that included many plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard, styrofoam, fast-food bags, fishing bait containers and much more. 

Among the areas cleaned by volunteers were Austin Mill Pond; Cedar River west of the Hormel Foods plant; public trails; East Side Lake’s main park area; Austin High and other school properties; Lafayette Park area; downtown streets; Riverside Arena parking lot; Ramsey Dam; and several parks.