ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A city-wide cleanup effort is underway this week in Escanaba.
“[Esky Cleanup] started back in the ’40s as a cleanup/paint up, and it was revived about ten years ago,” said Esky Cleanup Committee board member Mike Daniels. “We rake things up, we pick things up so that way we can make the whole area look nice as we head into the summer and all of our tourists come to visit.”
Sometimes drawing 100 people or more, Esky Cleanup covers the whole city, from parks and beaches to parking lots and highways.
“Then on Friday, we concentrate on the downtown area,” Daniels said. “Then we have a party at 6:00 p.m. with food and music and just a good time where everybody gets together.”
Esky Cleanup staff are stationed at the Marketplace downtown from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. from May 13 – May 17. They provide rakes, brooms, trash tongs, visibility vests, and other supplies. The only thing volunteers are asked to provide is their time.
“You don’t really need to bring anything except a great attitude and some spirit,” said Daniels. “Also, take pictures and please post it on the Esky Cleanup Facebook page. We love to have all the different pictures of people participating.”
Daniels says Esky Cleanup instills a feeling of ownership in Escanaba residents and strengthens their sense of community.
“If you live in this area, you’re most likely proud of it,” he said. “Of course, if you’re proud of your property, people take better care of it. We encourage all of the residents of Escanaba to come out and help Escanaba shine.”
Volunteers can pre-register on the Esky Cleanup Facebook page, but it is not required to participate. Volunteers posting photos are encouraged to use the hashtags #EskyCleanup and #CommunityPrideCommunityWide.
