By Emily Mentzer, Lebanon Express writer | Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 12:00 am
The sun was shining on Lebanon for Community Pride Day May 16.
The day warmed up to 84 degrees, warmer than it had been all month.
Members of the community began gathering early to get a head start on the heat, and to enjoy doughnuts and coffee while waiting for an assignment.
The city provided gloves to work in, sunscreen and bottled water. If other supplies were needed, all one had to do was ask.
Power washers ran on every sidewalk down Main Street. Windows were scraped off and cleaned.
Jan and Jim Jones from Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) started their day by pulling weeds on the corner of Grant and Main streets.
"We volunteer on a lot of community projects," Jan Jones said. "Volunteering's good for you."
Rachel Jones and Travis Callison helped remove old Christmas lights on trees and the gazebo.
Down Main Street, Eric Kirby worked on power washing the sidewalk and buildings. He tried to assist in cleaning off the Christmas painting on the windows of the Downing building, but even the power washer was no match for that stubborn paint.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Shelly Garrett worked her way down Main Street looking for a power washer she could commandeer. Once she found one, she wasn't easy to pull away from it. She worked through lunch.
Allied Waste donated the use of four industrial Dumpsters, one each for trash, yard waste, lumber and wood products, and electronics.
"We're here to help the community," said Jina Taylor-Gentils of Allied Waste.
By 10 a.m., 60 people had signed up and gotten to work.
"Don't forget to remind everyone to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water," said Dala Johnson, community services coordinator. For the Lebanon Police Department "I don't want anyone getting sick."
Cal and Leland Johnson worked on shoveling bark into a trailer attached to an ATV that was driven all around the area for flower beds.
Johnson said earlier the city was able to help a resident on Highway 20, just on the outskirts of town, who needed assistance removing a large quantity of garbage from her yard. Three truckloads was removed and disposed of.
Adam Taylor, 17, scrubbed away at the snowmen adorning the Downing building. He had spent time earlier in the week working on those windows. He said it took him 45 minutes to an hour for each window.
Saturday, he had some help: Window scrappers made the job much easier.
City Manager John Hitt and Tim Kemper with Teen Challenge worked to clear weeds from the cracks in the sidewalks as well as the flower bed near Llama Quality Products.
"I'm here to help represent Teen Challenge and show our appreciation for all the proceeds and donations that come to us," Kemper said.
With only their bare hands and a shovel, the weeds were putting up a good fight, but Kemper and Hitt won. (Hitt eventually picked up a hoe somewhere.)
Together they cleared the weeds, swept up and moved on to lunch: hot dogs, watermelon, chocolate dipped strawberries, chips and sodas.
LeMay Mobile Shredding was available until 2 p.m. for shredding anyone's documents. By around noon, Michael Hahn said he had already shredded three 90-gallon plus one 60-gallon container's worth of paper.
After lunch, Thema Downer was pulling weeds.
"I don't mind the grubbin'," she said. "It's good for the whole body."
Before the day was done, 80 people had volunteered.
Community pride, teamwork and spirit were apparent all over town.
The only thing lacking was tools. Next year, everyone should bring a bucket and supplies.