Tag Archives: clean-up

Time to purge Wyoming as city hosts annual clean-up day

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Hard News, Recreation, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Residents are encouraged to line up by 1:30 p.m. as the line will close at 2 p.m. (WKTV)

There is something about when the earth tilts pushing the northern hemisphere closer to the sun that not only brings a freshness to the air that causes people to open the windows but also vacuum behind the furniture and clean out garages.

Spring cleaning has become a worldwide phenomenon and this Saturday, Wyoming residents will have the chance to get rid of their unwanted items in bulk during the city’s annual spring cleaning event set for Saturday, April 22.

“We are really excited to have this event,” said Nicole Hofert, the city’s director of community and economic development. “We have a wonderful group of volunteers who always help us every year and we are very thankful to have all of those people join us in this event.

“This really is an opportunity for Wyoming residents to clear out some of that stuff they have been thinking about all winter long. We are proud to offer it and hope we have another really great turnout.”

The event will be at Grand Rapids First Church, 2100 44th St. SW, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Plummer’s Disposal will provide the refuse hauling.

Guidelines for the Clean-Up Day

For participating in the annual spring clean-up, here are a few things you should know:

1. People may start line up at 7:30 a.m., doors open at 8 a.m.

Participants are asked to be in the right-hand lane of eastbound 44th Street. When arriving at the event, residents will enter the parking lot through Grand Rapids First’s northeast entrance off of 44th Street and follow the relevant signage.

2. Make sure to bring ID that shows you are a resident of Wyoming

Hofert said a water bill, a credit card statement that has your name and address, your driver’s license  or your vehicle registration will work for proof of residency. “Just something to show that you are a Wyoming resident,” she said.

3. Be in line by 1:30 p.m. as the event does close at  2 p.m.

Unlike in years past, household hazardous waste such as paints, aerosols and other hazardous liquids will not be accepted. People wishing to dispose of those items should visit Kent County’s reimaginetrash.org, and under the Safe Home section, there is a list of sites and instructions on how to properly dispose of those items.

What to Bring

Other items that will not be taken are propane tanks and refrigerators. A completed list of items that will be accepted and items that will not be accepted is available at wyomingmi.gov/cleanup.

The City of Wyoming will be hosting its annual Community Clean-Up event on April 22 at the Grand Rapids First parking lot. (WKTV)

“We see a lot of furniture that comes through,” Hofert said. “If you have the broken recliner or a couch that you have recently replaced, bring it in.”

Construction materials are another good thing to get rid during the cleanup, Hofert said, adding that people often have done renovation projects during the winter with some materials left over that they need to dispose of.

Some items, such as tires and mattresses, will have a modest disposal fee of $12 and $22 respectively.

Yard waste will be accepted at the Yard Waste Drop-Off site, located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW, will be open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. There are no limits to size of branch or shrubs accepted at the site; however, residents must unload the yard waste themselves and all containers must be removed from the facility.

Event Info

Those who come to the event will get in line, an attendant will check your ID, you will come through the site to the dumpster location. Participants will get out to the car and attendants will instruct the person where what dumpster to dump you stuff in. Once done, the participant will get back into the car and then head back out through the exit.

For more information about the Wyoming Community Clean-Up Day, visit wyomingmi.gov/cleanup or call 616-530-7226. 

Wyoming residents, it’s time to purge with city hosting annual community clean-up event

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Environment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Spring cleaning is what many have been doing as the weather warms up to summer. Now the question is what to do with all that stuff?

The City of Wyoming will be hosting its annual Community Clean-Up event on June 4 at the Grand Rapids First parking lot.

Well the City of Wyoming will be helping out its residents once again with the return of its popular Community Clean-Up Day which is set for Saturday, June 4. The event will again take place in the parking lot of the Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW. It will open at 8 a.m. with participants encouraged to be in line by 1:30 p.m. to drop off items.

The traffic flow will have cars entering Grand Rapids First through the right lane of the eastbound 44th Street. Once in line, drivers should follow the directions to the northeast entrance off 44th Street.

An array of unwanted items will be accepted such as recyclables, scrap metals, and car batteries. Items NOT accepted are household hazardous waste; kitchen garbage; liquid latex paint; seal drums; liquid, biological, radioactive waste; propane tanks; refrigerants; and explosives.

Yard waste may be dropped off at the Yard Waste Drop-Off, which is located at 2600 Burlingame Ave. SW. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The facility is also open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Yard waste should be sorted by leaves and grass and brush pile.

E. Martin Hennings (American, 1886–1956). Two Summer Riders, c. 1930s. Oil on Canvas, 30 ¼ x 30 ¼ inches. Bank of America Collection.

At the Community Clean-Up event, there will be a fee for some items. While tires are $10 each, mattress or box springs are $15 each, tube and televisions that are 27 inches or smaller are $20, and tube televisions 27 inches or larger are $40.

To participate in the Community Clean-Up event, and to use the Yard Waste Drop-Off, residents must provide proof of residency which can be a photo ID, utility or credit card statement or bank statement within the last 90 days, a mortage, lease, or rental agreement, insurance policy, an issued license, or a Michigan vehicle registration.

The city started its Community Clean-Up in 2016 and it quickly became popular with the event averaging at least 300 vehicles coming through and disposing of items. 

For more information about the Community Clean-Up Day, visit www.wyomingmi.gov/cleanup. For more tips on waste and recycling, visit Kent County’s ReimagineTrash.org. 

‘Adopt-a-Forest’ program encourages citizens to clean up public land

3-bottom, Education, Environment, Great Lakes, Health, , , ,
Nature enthusiasts surpassed the goal set by the 2020 challenge by cleaning 151 forest sites, as well as removing 459 cubic yards of trash. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

By McKoy Scribner
Capital News Service

Every year, tons of trash is illegally dumped in Michigan’s public lands, but a state program has been running for three decades to mitigate the problem.

The Adopt-a-Forest program is volunteer-driven and helps people engage with the outdoors and encourages them to keep public lands clean, the state Department of Natural Resources says.

The DNR conducts outreach to find volunteers and then connects them with a site in need of a cleanup.

Rachel Coale is a communications representative for the DNR. She says the work done in the past year has been fantastic and she’s eager to see what’s to come.

“So, last year we conducted a ‘100 cleanups in 100 days’ campaign, which despite the pandemic, we blew past our goal, which was really exciting,” she said. “So, this year we haven’t run any specific campaigns, but we’re definitely seeing more and more people get out in the woods.”

Nature enthusiasts surpassed the goal set by the 2020 challenge by cleaning 151 forest sites, as well as removing 459 cubic yards of trash.

The challenge was also a part of celebrating 100 years of the National Association of State Foresters and its effort to promote thriving forests.

Individuals or groups that volunteer are recognized with a certificate. If they adopt and clean over 640 acres of land, they can request a sign in recognition of their work.

 

Coale says volunteers have found everything from paper waste to mattresses in the woods.

“It really helps to have those eyes in the woods because we can’t have a conservation officer everywhere, all the time. But you know, we have a great group of volunteers who can say what’s happening out there and let people know.”

Through the program, half of the trash taken off public lands has been successfully recycled.

McKoy Scribner reports for WKAR and Great Lakes Echo.

Snapshots: A community clean-up, a history lesson, and butterflies

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Entertainment, Recycling, , , ,

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.

Poet Robert Frost

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Wyoming: Time to Purge

This Saturday, Wyoming residents have the opportunity to participate in the citywide Community Clean Up Day. Residents, with proof of residency, may bring items, free of charge for most items, to Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW. Hazardous waste will not be accepted this year. The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and participants must be in line by 1:30 p.m to drop off items. For more information, visit wyomingmi.gov/cleanup.

Photo taken by Tom Schillaci of Muskegon (WMTA)

Make Your Vote Count

Voting is now open for the West Michigan Photo Contest hosted by the West Michigan Tourist Association. More than 1,800 photos were submitted to the competition with WMTA narrowing down the photos to the top 50. Now Michigan residents have the chance to vote on who will be the winners. The top 50 photo entries are posted in a photo album on the West Michigan Facebook page, also available at https://bit.ly/WestMIPhotoContest2021. Visitors to the photo album may cast votes for any photos by “liking” or “reacting” to each photo. Votes may be cast for multiple photos. The winners will be announced on August 16.

 

Gary E. Mitchell as John Adams and Mary Beth Quillin as Abigail Adams in “My Dearest Friend.” (Photo by Scott Baisden)

The Original Adams Family

“My Dearest Friend,” the story of John and Abigail Adams, will run this weekend and next at the LowellArts, 223 W. Main St., Lowell. “My Dearest Friend,” written by local playwright Mary G. Kron, is based on the letters between John and Abigail Adams, played by Gary E. Mitchell and Mary Beth Quillin from GEM Theatrics. Prolific letter writers, the couple’s story is told through flashback as they witness the American Revolution and the birth of a nation. For tickets, call 616-897-8545.

Fun Fact: The Butterfly Files

Every year, the Monarch butterfly makes the 1,900-mile trip from Northern America to Mexico. One of its stop off points is Peninsula Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Many of the insects make a pit stop there before taking the long journey across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. The best time to see this “monarch madness”? Early September.

Grand Rapids Public Museum staff honored

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

Six members from the Grand Rapids Public Museum were recently recognized for their efforts to help clean two museums in Midland, Michigan, after a flood in the community. (Supplied)

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that six members of the Museum’s staff have received the “Clean Up Warriors Award” from the Michigan Museums Association (MMA). The individuals are being recognized for their efforts in assisting with the cleanup at the Midland Area Historical Societyand the Sandford Centennial Museum this spring after two dams failed the Midland area, causing the museums to flood.

Those being recognized include:

Stevie Hornyak, GRPM Exhibits Specialist

Sarah Humes, GRPM Associate Registrar

Kelsey Laymon, GRPM Curatorial Assistant

Monica Taylor, GRPM Curatorial Assistant and Photographer

Jake Van Wyk, GRPM Collections Technician 

Holly Waldenmeyer, GRPM Registrar and Collections Manager

“Congratulations to the team members of the GRPM staff for receiving this recognition for their efforts,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the GRPM. “This work, all voluntary, was done under very difficult circumstances, in the midst of a pandemic. Their dedication to our community, state and museums does not go unnoticed.” 

“It was an incredible opportunity to use our knowledge and skills to help the Midland Area Historical Society and the Sanford Centennial Museum, when the flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic were causing mass devastation. Our team joined forces with their staff to care for and save as many artifacts and records as possible.” said Sarah Humes, Associate Registrar at the GRPM. “On behalf of all of us from the GRPM that are receiving the Clean Up Warriors Award, we want to thank MMA for this recognition.” 

Grand Rapids Museum staff lent their experience and expertise to museums in Midland that experienced a flood earlier this year. (Supplied)

Every year, the Michigan Museums Association presents awards members for exceptional programs, exhibits and individuals that made an impact during the year. 2020 has been challenging on many fronts, and this year the MMA will celebrate its members, individuals and institutions that supported, adapted, and innovated throughout the year.

A celebration led by the MMA of all 2020 award winners will take place via Zoom on Thursday, November 19 at 3 p.m. The celebration is open to the public; registration required. A full list of awards can be found here: http://michiganmuseums.org/2020-Awards/.