NORTH SMITHFIELD – A community effort to rid North Smithfield streets of trash is set to resume next month when the town holds its 18th Clean & Green Day.
The event, which typically takes place in conjunction with Earth Day, was cancelled in 2020. And in April of this year, a more limited, socially-distanced town-wide cleanup dubbed, “Restore North Smithfield,” was held in place of Clean & Green Day, an event that typically brings out hundreds of volunteers.
“After skipping a year of Clean & Green Day, our town is in dire need of a little TLC,” notes an update on the event registration website. “We are so happy you can join us and we look forward to seeing you.”
The cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25, will focus on highly littered areas of town most in need of help, according to the Clean & Green Day Committee. A list of potential locations targeted for work includes areas of Greene Street, Victory Highway, Iron Mine Hill Road and many more roadways. Volunteers can also register to choose their own area of town, or to help out wherever it’s most needed.
Registration is not limited to North Smithfield residents, and volunteers from all walks of life are welcome to sign up. In 2018, 419 Clean & Green Day volunteers picked up 3.43 tons of trash from more than 40 miles of roadway in North Smithfield according to the committee, which also aims to promote recycling and litter education throughout the year.
The September cleanup will begin with registration at 8 a.m. at Town Hall on Greene Street, where volunteers will pick up T-shirts and supplies. Cleaners are invited to enjoy coffee and doughnuts before heading out to pick up trash, and are encouraged to post photos of their efforts with hashtags on social media. The group will blanket the town from 9 a.m. to noon, with trash pickers in hand, likely ridding North Smithfield of tons of litter.
Organizations will also hold contests in conjunction with the event, and the community service hours can be counted towards many organizations’ requirements.
Those who register before September 1 are guaranteed a T-shirt in their chosen size.
To register for North Smithfield’s 18th Clean & Green Day visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0845aaae23aaf85-nsclean2
