Community Clean-up needing volunteers

SIKESTON - It is teamwork that makes the

Community-Wide Clean-up Day such a success every year,

yet ironically if more Sikeston residents don't step

up and volunteer to help, the success of Saturday's

clean-up will be limited.

According to the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce,

the number of clean-up requests from residents has

surpassed the number of individuals who've volunteered

to help.

And the requests are still coming in. As of press time

today, the lack of volunteers will result in not being

able to meet all of the clean-up requests made.

There is simply not enough manpower, said SACC

Executive Director Missy Marshall. "I'm very concerned

about our clean-up requests from the elderly and

disabled. We've had a large number of those requests

this year and I feel it is very important to try to

meet their needs as a community."

Also in need are volunteers with trucks and trailers

to assist with the clean-up.

In order to ensure that everyone's needs will be met,

the SACC urges residents to volunteer by registering

at 9 a.m. Saturday on Compress Road off North West

Street, across from the compost site. Volunteers are

needed for work teams, registration, providing food,

assisting with staging site set-up and tearing down

and to provide trucks and trailers to help move the

larger items.

Also, the compost site itself will be open all day

Sunday for individuals to drop their items off.

The project, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 1

p.m., is made up of residents who join forces with

their neighbors to remove trash, trim bushes and clean

yards around the city. The event coincides with "Make

A Difference Day."

Last year more than 300 volunteers helped clean up

1,340 cubic yards of trash which was hauled off and

helped to bring several houses up to city code.

"We were very, very happy with the turnout last year

for the clean-up," Marshall said. "It makes the work

go quickly and efficiently. I hope people who

volunteered last year will turn out again this year

and help their neighbors, which is part of being a

community."

For more information contact the Chamber office at

471-2498.