The City of Barstow Encourages Residents to Pitch in and Pick It Up on Community Clean Up and Recycling Day

Barstow, Calif. (March 23, 2009) — The Barstow Mayor and City Council members invite Barstow residents to make a difference by participating in the biannual Community Clean Up and Recycling Day on Saturday, April 11. Residents can help beautify Barstow by offering a few hours of their time in cleaning up their own property or a public area. Residents are encouraged to clean up Barstow by picking up trash/recyclables, removing graffiti, and pulling weeds from public areas. The city will coordinate several clean up sites around town. “The Community Clean Up Day and Recycling Day is but one of many ways the city focuses on sustainability,” says Belinda Barbour, solid waste coordinator for the City of Barstow. “We are asking all of us, as a community, to participate in a nonpartisan way to preserve our future by reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking our habits. Everything you do can make a difference,” added Barbour. City residents may dispose of excess trash, furniture, and other trash generated as part of owning or maintaining their home for free at the San Bernardino County landfill on Saturday, April 11, 2009. The Barstow-area landfill, located on Barstow Road, will be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. City residents will have tipping fees waived on this day. Only privately owned vehicles and vehicles with trailers are permitted. Proof of residency will be required. Don’t forget to cover all loads going to the landfill or the County will charge you, even on this free Cleanup Day Businesses, organizations, churches and families that are interested in making a longer-term commitment are encouraged to join the Adopt-a-Block program. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of life and revitalizing the local environment through nuisance abatement activities and events that bring neighborhoods together. Block improvement activities are only limited by the sponsor’s imagination. This program provides individuals or groups of local residents and organizations the opportunity to volunteer to take responsibility for enhancing their community environment, one block at a time. An individual or group can adopt a city block by committing to a two-year agreement available at the City of Barstow. A sign will be placed on the block denoting the block adoption. “We have a great opportunity with the Adopt-a-Block to not only improve the aesthetics of the community, but to honor our military members, past and present,” said Joe Gomez, Mayor of Barstow. “Barstow is a military town and what better way to honor their sacrifice than by dedicating some hard work to our men and women of the military,” added the Mayor. He went on to say that, through the adopt-a-block program, interested groups or individuals can dedicate their hard work in cleaning up a block to a local military member or veteran of their choice, which will be commemorated through the sign. For more information on the Adopt-a-Block program or the Community Clean Up and Recycling Day including getting involved in a coordinated area, contact Belinda Barbour at 760-255-5126 or bbarbour@barstowca.org.