Fifth annual event Saturday expected to draw 400 volunteers who will work in teams.
From the Paper:
By Franco Ordoñez
fordonez@charlotteobserver.com
Hundreds of Latinos, armed with litter sticks and garbage bags, are expected to hit the streets Saturday to help clean the city.
Some 400 volunteers are expected to take part in the fifth annual citywide cleanup organized by Jesus Ministry. It's intended to help the Charlotte community educate local Latinos on American culture - and to combat negative stereotypes.
"The Latino community is concerned about the place that we live in," said Maudia Melendez, head of Jesus Ministry. "We are part of the tapestry of the community. And we need to make sure that we've contributed - even in little ways - like keeping the streets clean."
Volunteers will be concentrating on trash and recycling, but Melendez said there is a greater message with their work.
The Latino community cares about ridding the streets of all types of garbage, whether it's litter or crime.
On Saturday, teams of volunteers will be dispatched to more than a half-dozen sections of the city, including uptown, Elizabeth Avenue, Central Avenue, and Sugar Creek Road to pick up litter and recyclables.
Jake Wilson, executive director of Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful, is helping coordinate activities and providing tools for the group.
"It's just tremendous for the Latin community to give back and take ownership of some of the (areas) that need cleaning, throughout Charlotte and the county," he said. "If we had more communities like this it'd make my job a lot easier."
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Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/09/03/1663882/latinos-to-pick-up-litter-across.html#ixzz0yTnTxKHV
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5 comments:
"The Latino community cares about ridding the streets of all types of garbage, whether it's litter or crime."
Best news I've heard! Have all the illegals put their belongings in those trash bags and go home. I'm not calling the illegals trash. I'm just saying if they leave they will be taking criminals off the street.
maybe they can take some of those bags home with them, and clean up their own yard... pick up those beer bottles and mow your grass.
if these folks are doing this volunteer work, then who is going to do my landscaping and cook my restaurant food?
On behalf of what I believe is the vast, vast majority of people reading this -- non-Latino and Latino alike -- may I offer my apologies for the previous three embarrassing (but sadly predictable) comments. The phobia and yeah, that's right: RACISM, that's seemingly washing over the country against ethnic groups and religious faiths is nothing our resilient nation hasn't weathered and matured past many times throughout its history; only the names and targets have changed. Thanks to all of you participating in the cleanup to help keep OUR (that's right, "our", not "my") city and neighborhoods tidy.
WOW! How racist people are in this city! Now I see why just a few gringos like these travel abroad... Wait a minute... usually, non-racists are the ones who travel and are well educated and knowledgeable of other cultures...
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