Plains to hold community spring cleanup May 6

Plains Police Officer Chris Reyna is looking for volunteers to help with a town cleanup next month. It won’t get them a no-traffic-ticket pass, but it will give them the satisfaction of helping their community.

The Spring Cleanup Day will be Saturday, May 6, with volunteers meeting at the E.L. Johnson Memorial Park. The cleanup operation will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reyna said he hopes to get 100-200 volunteers.

“Spring Cleanup Day is a community effort to make Plains a more beautiful place to live. We ask anyone who can to volunteer on this day or any other. Your help is needed and contributing as little as an hour can make a big difference,” said Reyna, a Plains officer for more than seven years.

He said that it will be a matter of taking pride in the community and make Plains a cleaner and more beautiful place for everyone to enjoy. “As first responders our primary motivation is service. Whether it’s medical, fire or law enforcement, we all have gone and do go above and beyond in serving our community, This is an extension of that spirit,” said Reyna.

Tim Kinsinger and Lana Dicken, both of Plains, also volunteered to help run the operation, along with Plains clerks Cathy Emmett and Jonalie Comeau. Anyone interested in volunteering can stop by or call Plains City Hall to sign up or call (406) 826-3411. Businesses interested in donating services or supplies can call or text Reyna at (406) 209-9755. There is also a Plains Community Cleanup Facebook page.

Kinsinger, a firefighter with the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District, is looking for a place to send any collected old tires. “I want to be there for the community to help make Plains a better place to live,” said Kinsinger.

In addition, fliers have been spread throughout the town and there is a sign up sheet at City Hall for volunteers and for those who need help. A large dumpster, on loan from the county, will be positioned at the empty lot across from the fire department. People will be able to drop off old or broken appliances, metal objects, tires, branches and leaves.

“We ask everyone who is able to clean up their property around their home or business. If you have extra time you can help by walking your neighborhood streets and picking up litter,” said Reyna. The last time the town had a cleanup day was 2018 and it went well, said Mayor Chris Allen.

Emmett and Comeau have been calling businesses for help in the way of trash bags, work gloves, and cash to help pay for the disposal of tires. As of Friday, Dicken had 20-30 volunteers to help,.

“We were going out door to door canvassing and looking for volunteers and maybe finding people who need help with their yards and hauling stuff,” said Dicken. They were also looking for people with pickup trucks to haul away trash, as well as people with lawn care tools, such as weed eaters, mowers, rakes, and shovels, to help. “We would also like to identify any disabled or elderly residents who need assistance with yard clean up or transporting items to the refuse site,” said Reyna.

“I always love community and finding service projects and opportunities anyway and I love seeing neighbors coming together and helping each other,” said Dicken. “My hope is this becomes a yearly thing.”