Give Back: Volunteers Needed for Clean Up Effort Planned April 1 on North Main Street

It’s the side of North Main Street that people often don’t notice, says Curtis Wells.

Trash and graffiti are sometimes a reality on North Main – something that Wells and other volunteers are trying to raise awareness about keeping up the area.

“You kind of don’t see it unless you live here all the time,” Wells said on Thursday. "There’s lots of broken glass.”

Wells and his wife, Christine, live along North Main, which features shops and an entertainment district that includes restaurants and bars.

The Wells are coordinating an April 1 clean up effort to remove garbage and graffiti along the streets, parking lots and alley-ways on North Main and nearby streets.  And they are looking for help.

The clean up will be from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that Saturday with a reception afterward for volunteers at the banquet center, 311 North Main St.

Volunteers can contact the Wells directly at icaremainstreet@gmail.com or by calling 314-402-6767 or they can sign up the morning of the event.  The check-in tent will be in the Colonnade, on the east side of North Main.

The first 48 volunteers to sign up will get a tee-shirt.  Cloves, trash bags and other cleaning supplies will be provided.

Curtis Wells said they were inspired by the example of others along North Main.
”We were inspired when we saw an elderly couple picking up trash,” Wells said. “If they can do it, why can’t we.”

Others also agree. The Wells, who operate Anatime Entertainment, a special event production company, organized a fundraising event at the Opera House on Feb 12.

The event raised $1,300 to pay for supplies and support the “iCare 2012” effort.  Wells said they want the event also to be known now as the “iClean” cleanup.

Wells said they hope the clean up spurs more volunteer efforts. 

“We’re trying to raise awareness,” Wells said. “People on April 2 will say the trash is still there but they might realize that April 1 happened,” he said.