About 70 volunteers from the Church of God in Philadelphia joined in a united effort to serve the community and the city of Philadelphia. On February 26, 2017, they carried out a full force cleanup on Castor Avenue.
Environmental protection and public safety is always an urgent need in the large metropolitan city of Philadelphia. People frequently use public sidewalks and roadways in the city. Furthermore, with so many people passing through, it becomes difficult to manage the build-up of litter, which accumulates quickly. The volunteers of the World Mission Society Church of God found this to be a perfect opportunity to serve a real need. By taking the necessary steps with community leaders, they decided to make a lasting impact on the environmental health of the city.
Volunteers from the Church of God cleaning up the sidewalks of the 202nd District of Philadelphia.
State Representative Jared Solomon of the 202nd District of Philadelphia joined the city cleanup effort. A handful of his staff members came as well. With gloves, garbage bags, trash pickers, and bright smiles, the volunteers flooded the streets with energy and determination.
Cleaning began in the public areas along the sidewalks and bus shelters. Next, volunteers picked up trash from storefronts and the front yards of day care centers. Additionally, multiple teams worked on various targeted areas that were teeming with hazardous waste. The volunteers worked together to remove loose trash, such as broken glass, metals, and many other dangerous materials. This was especially important as these materials could easily cause harm those who come into physical contact with them.
Several trash bags were filled throughout the duration of the cleanup. Later, they were carried off to be collected and disposed of by the city municipalities. About 1.5 tons or 3,000 pounds of trash had been removed from the streets in just 3 hours. Such a large-scale effort revitalized the image of Castor Avenue. In conclusion, volunteers were glad to be able to improve the public use of the area, and look forward to continuously promoting environmental safety in Philadelphia.
I had a great time at this clean up. It felt great to make a difference in the community. One business owner who owns a hair salon on Castor ave came and thanked us personally. Seeing how thankful she was really made the clean up much more personal for me. I think it’s great that the members are willing to roll up their sleeves and get dirty. I hope to participate in more clean ups in the future.
Through this clean up I was reminded of how important it is to always be active in the community, beginning with your own. This is actually the district that I live in, so to see how it looked before and how much better it looked after made me feel very appreciative. The neighborhood responded well, and some people even began to come out and sweep their property as they saw all of the volunteers cleaning property that didn’t belong to them. I will definitely be participating in more community events like this one!
The castor ave cleanup was a really great experience. Many people in the community seem to really appreciate our work. It felt great to see their bright smiles. I was really moved by how much trash we were able to collect, 3000 pounds worth. It’s amazing the things that can be accomplished through unity. Movements like this can truly change the world. I can’t wait for the next cleanup.
How much more comfortable it must be now for families to walk on a clean sidewalks with their family. How beautiful it is to see in just 3 hrs how much trash was cleaned up! So grateful to be a part of the World Mission Society Church of God! Thank You Heavenly Father & Heavenly Mother!
I want to participate in such wonderful works of God! As God’s people, we should deliver this kind of work throughout the whole world!
The volunteers showed no signs of tiredness. They were working really hard and have a pure mind to brighten the world.
They look so happy. Their bright smiles show this fact. Truly, wonderful to do something for neighbors. Good examples!