South Philly Review

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A popular proverb notes “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” During Saturday’s Philly Spring Cleanup, thousands of volunteers tweaked the saying, proving that one man’s, woman’s or child’s rubbish is everyone’s nuisance. For five hours, more than 100,000 dedicated denizens enhanced their confines, taking to the streets to defeat debris.

Representing almost 10 percent of the City’s beautification sites, South Philadelphia had its residents’ civic pride fully revealed, with each of its sections tackling at least one task. A brisk morning evolved into a mild afternoon as participants spruced up their communities and explained the joys of recycling.

Those tending to West Passyunk united to tidy up 18th to 24th streets along Snyder Avenue. Those blocks comprise part of the area’s boundaries, which run from 18th to 25th streets from Mifflin Street to Passyunk Avenue, and contain numerous stores and remnants from those establishment’s offerings. With Andrew Pinkham, president of the West Passyunk Neighbors Association, at the helm, the helpers gathered at Café con Chocolate, 2100 S. Norwood St., to plot their endeavors.

“West Passyunk seems like the last frontier for modification,” Tom Hawthorne of the 2100 block of South 18th Street said while Pinkham unloaded recycling bins.

Hawthorne yearns for the area’s inhabitants to be as passionate about their turf as the residents of Bella Vista, his most recent locale, are about their stretch.

“It seems places like Center City and Bella Vista have matters under control,” he said. “This spot needs more of an active mindset, more inspiration.”

Enter Pinkham. The resident of the 2000 block of South 19th Street has headed the civic for a year and aims to rid the area of refuse.

“Many people make good efforts, but sometimes the debris can become overwhelming,” he said, adding papers pollute the pavements regularly.

To staunch all stench and exile eyesores, he applied for a corridor beautification and improvement grant through the City’s Department of Commerce. The endowment would allocate at least $30,000 for twice-a-week cleaning services for all storefronts and street ways along Snyder. Pinkham expects word by June.

He did not need a five-figure bequest to inspire eagerness Saturday. A table trumpeting the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program greeted passers-by, who could receive a bin for joining the initiative that offers participants points good for rewards such as magazine subscriptions, gift certificates and discounted items. Other members toted massive brown bags sporting WPNA stickers for collection, with half of the containers going for garbage and the rest welcoming recyclables.

“Let’s tackle the major intersections,” the enthused Pinkham said.

Splitting into three groups, the attendees wielded brooms, rakes and shovels to combat the crud.

“I saw a volunteer ad on our bulletin board, and I thought this would be a good chance to help the area,” Brian Muller of the 300 block of McKean Street said.

He and two colleagues represented Target, 1 Mifflin St., one of the day’s three chief corporate supporters.

“Coming out was kind of a no-brainer for us,” Jessica Gould of the 2200 block of South Lambert Street said of having her mate Peter Curran and their 20-month-old daughter Helen Curran in tow.

In her third cleanup, Gould, whose first assignment yielded many recyclables and wet papers from the previous day’s rain, participated because of disdain for uncleanliness.

“I also know the City lacks resources to tend to everything, so I feel we should help to clean,” she said.

The City retrieved the bags shortly after the 2 p.m. conclusion, with the carriers helping to remove more than 1.2 million pounds of trash and to salvage 150,000 pounds of recyclables citywide.

“We want interest to be constant,” Pinkham said. “We need everyone to care.”