County and CSET partner to host community cleanup days in April

 April 7, 2011

Tulare County and Community Services and Employment Training (CSET) are partnering to assist residents of three unincorporated communities to host cleanup days. These events are being held in conjunction with Earth Day Celebration Month.

Cutler-Orosi will be the first cleanup site from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at the corner of Rd. 128 and Ave. 408. Cleanups in Goshen and Pixley will take place April 16 and April 23.

“CSET is a tremendous organization and an important partner in serving the county’s unincorporated residents, particularly with community cleanups,” said Laurie Mercer, Tulare County Community Development Manager. “Residents should take advantage of this important opportunity. The goal is to reduce visual blight and any possible health and safety issues.”

CSET will also partner with residents, waste haulers, and other organizations to host cleanup days in Allensworth, Earlimart, Lindcove/Lemoncove, Tipton, and Traver.

CSET staff works with community residents, other service groups and partner agencies to plan activities for each event. Community residents canvass their community, talk with friends and neighbors and identify areas of need. Members of CSET's Junior Leadership groups then take pictures and put together boards with the pictures along with sign up sheets for volunteers. The morning of the event, as volunteers arrive, community leaders organize people into groups and set out to paint over graffiti, help a senior in the community clean their yard, or man the trash collection site by helping people sign in as they arrive with their "truck load" of trash. Others walk/drive around town checking in on the "crews."

"In our current economy, cleanup days are more important than ever because the cost of getting someone to haul away common household discards can be prohibitive,” said Carolyn Rose, CSET’s Executive Director. “We appreciate the proactive stance Tulare County takes to assist communities with this expense. We admire the residents of the communities who care enough to keep their yards and neighborhoods safe and looking good, as well as their willingness to help out their neighbors on clean-up days."

Residents are invited to bring and dump household waste, furniture, toys, plastic plumbing, empty burn barrels, broken cement, used lumber, and electronic waste (e-waste).

Appliances, tires, paint, batteries, autos, animals, explosives, asbestos, commercial waste, and hazardous waste will not be collected.

This cleanup day is sponsored by CSET, the Tulare County Redevelopment Agency, and Tulare County Resource Management Solid Waste Division.

Scheduled cleanups include:

Cutler-Orosi:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Apr. 9
Location: To be held at the corner of Rd. 128 and Ave. 408
More information: Raquel Gomez (559) 732-4194 

Allensworth:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to noon. Apr. 16
Location: Allensworth Community Center, 8123 Ave. 36
More information: John Gutierrez (661) 849 3505

Earlimart:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Apr. 16
Location: 192 S. Church St.
More information: Mike Fernandez (559) 979-3213 or Anamaria Ceballos (661) 849-3505

Pixley:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Apr. 16
Location: Lions Club, 450 S. Market St.
More information: Yazmin Prado (559) 757-1601

Lindcove/Lemoncove:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Apr. 16
Location: Road 244 and Ave. 328
More information: Raquel Gomez (559)-732-4194 

Goshen:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Apr. 23
Location: To be held at the Goshen Church of God, 6416 Ave. 308
More information: Lori Ferguson (559) 804-5653

Tipton:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Apr. 30
Location: To be held at 577 E. Spencer.
More information: Daniel Cisneros (559) 553 5707 or Paula Maestaz (559) 723 7764

Traver:
Time/Date: 8 a.m. to noon. Apr. 30
Location: Traver Elementary School, 36736 Canal Drive
More information: Frank Ruiz (559) 741 4667

DOWNLOAD CUTLER-OROSI COMMUNITY CLEANUP FLIER