2009 Intergenerational Fall Clean-Up

1st Annual Intergenerational Fall Clean-Up

The Intergenerational Fall Clean-Up collaboration between the Oneida County Youth Bureau, the Oneida County Office of the Aging and Continuing Care, Oneida County colleges, school districts, youth organizations, the Rotary Club of Utica, American Legion Smith Post 24 of Rome, the Ukrainian Club of Rome and Lowe’s (Rome) successfully took place on Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th. Over 300 youth volunteers performed general yard clean-up duties; raking and bagging leaves, sweeping porches, sidewalks, and driveways, and bringing light refuse to the curb for pickup for 90 locations county-wide. This initiative evolved from the successful Intergenerational Spring Clean-Up that was held the weekend of April 25th and 26th.

The youth volunteers were outstanding representatives of their respective colleges, high schools, and organizations. They were great examples of the majority of our youth being good, caring, considerate, and giving people we can and should be proud of. I’d like to give a special thank you to the Rotary Club of Utica, the Ukrainian Club of Rome, and the American Legion Smith Post 24 of Rome, who saw the value in this initiative and generously gave monetary donations to enable us to add to our rake, broom, glove, and bag inventory enabling us to serve more individuals. Lowe’s (Rome) deserves a special thank you for donating rakes and brooms.

I was fortunate to have met many of these remarkable young men and women volunteers and through requests and responses of clubs, legions, and merchants and was reminded that there is good in our world and Oneida County is a special place to live!

Realizing the real need for these services to be delivered, the Oneida County Youth Bureau and the Oneida County Office of the Aging and Continuing Care will make the Intergenerational Spring Clean-Up and the Intergenerational Fall Clean-Up annual events. The 2010 Clean-Ups will take place on the weekends of April 24th and 25th and October 23rd and 24th. If you know of any youth organizations who would be interested in volunteering please have them contact Tom Giruzzi at the Oneida County Youth Bureau by phone at (315) 798-5027 or via e-mail at tgiruzzi@ocgov.net.