Neighbors helping neighbors

Organizers of Plains Beautification Day were happy to see so many volunteers show up for the semiannual cleanup on Saturday.

Only a week earlier, they had only about a dozen people signed up to help with the event, but 36 men, women and children showed at the start and they just kept coming throughout the morning capping at 52, including a youth group from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Plains. "We had way more people show up than we thought. I was pleasantly surprised," said Garrett Boon, a Plains Beautification Day committee member.

"This is an answer to prayer," said 94-year-old Doris Larson, one of 20 residents that asked for help in removing trash, old appliances and furniture, tires, and yard debris. The LDS youth group, along with Desi and Kris Barton, spent two hours pulling weeds from Larson's yard.

"I was very pleased with today's cleanup," said Scott Johnson of the Plains Beautification Committee and one of the volunteers that worked nearly six hours to help Plains residents. "I was surprised by all of the unexpected, amazing volunteers that made the event run so quickly and smoothly," he added.

The group rendezvoused outside the town's public works building next to the fire hall to coordinate and hand out assignments at 8:30 a.m. The assignments varied from picking up a single item to mowing lawns. Some of the heaviest items were an old wood stove, a freezer and hot water heater. The county dump once again allowed the volunteer organization to drop items off at no charge. In addition, the county placed a large dumpster bin at the Plains work site. Baldy Mountain gave the town a discount on discarding the 64 tires, including a tractor tire.

The volunteers ranged from 7-year-old Colton Barton to 83-year-old Bill Beck, and neither even live within the town limits. "I'll tell you, by the time I got done, I was beat," said Beck. Nearly a dozen of the volunteers live outside of town, yet still felt they were part of the town and wanted to help, including Johnson and committee member Deb Warren. "I guess I don't see myself any differently from those who live in downtown Plains. I think it shows the commitment and loyalty from those people to the town and the outlying community," said Johnson, who lives eight miles outside the town limits.

The LDS youth group consisted of almost 20 boys and girls, which helped with several homes throughout the day. "It's so good seeing everyone getting involved. That's why I like doing this - it's people working together and it's more about people working together than the work itself," said Boon. The LDS group worked at four houses and helped out at the receiving site. "We really emphasize service to others and this was an opportunity to participate in a community activity," said Rhonda Leeper, who managed the LDS group and helped with the work.

Most of the sites had multiple workers there, although Ron Warren spent more than three hours at one place by himself most of the time. Work at the different sites averaged from 5-10 minutes to 45-60 minutes, said Johnson, who felt the event was a "huge" success.

Several businesses donated materials to the project. Clark Fork Valley Hospital donated five cases of water. Studs Building and Home donated gloves and trash bags and loaned the group weed eaters and a chainsaw. McGowan Grocery donated hot dogs, buns and condiments. Jason Subatch of Wild Horse Sand and Gravel donated his 20-foot trailer. And Henry and Laura Raber of 406 Chuck Wagon handed out free hot dogs, sausage burgers and homemade ice cream. The previous week, as part of Beautification Day, Emily Baker of the Eastern Sanders County Conservation District, planted 19 species of pollinator plants on town property. She was also one of the working volunteers on Saturday.

"All of the recipients were extremely appreciative and many told me that they felt we did more than they expected," said Johnson, whose wife Dede also volunteered. "It was a great day, very efficient and quick work for the jobs completed," he said. The volunteers were able to get everyone on the list helped.

"In addition, several people who did not ask for help came by the city yard and were allowed to dump items for free. One fellow pitched in and helped pay for the tires he dropped off," said Boon. The Plains Beautification Committee plans to conduct its next cleanup day on the third Saturday of September.