Beautification Day sweeps through Athens
By Emily Hubbell, Campus Life writer
April 20, 2007 | 6:26 p.m.
Athens will get a spring cleaning Saturday morning, when over 200 student volunteers and more than fifteen student organizations participate in the second annual Athens Beautification Day.
“I think Athens Beautification Day is a great idea,” says Ohio University Womens Club Water Polo Treasurer and volunteer Laura Bringer. “It’s good to give back to the community we take so much from.”
The OU Mens Club Water Polo Team first proposed the idea for Beautification Day last year. This year’s event planning was passed to the Club Sports Executive Council.
During Beautification Day, student organizations complete community service projects aimed to improve the cleanliness of Athens.
This year’s clean-up will touch all the major areas of the city, including Court Street, Mill Street, the Dairy Barn, Highland Park and West Elementary School. Student organizations will also be cleaning metal for Passion Works, participating in a canned food drive and painting the Athens Historical Society.
Although this year’s Beautification Day includes more volunteers and projects than last year’s event, Public Relations Chair and Club Sports Executive Council representative Corey Fritz is slightly disappointed with the response from the Athens business community.
Fritz said that last year Athens sponsors contributed approximately $5,000 to the event. This year, however, the donations totaled around $2,000.
While this was a bit surprising for those involved in Beautification Day, Fritz said that the committee “could count on other people to step up when local businesses did not.”
Student organizations donated approximately $1,500 to this year’s Beautification Day Committee. Fritz stressed that an event of this magnitude was difficult to plan on an individual volunteer basis.
“The best way for us to channel volunteers is through organizations,” Fritz said. “While we are not directly recruiting [individual] students, one of our projects is to distribute informational pamphlets so that students know how they can help out.”
These flyers provide students with easy ways to keep their environments clean, such as cleaning up litter, recycling and preparing ahead for any end-of-the-year disposals.
Students and community members can also become involved in beautifying Athens through the event’s canned food drive.
Freshman Mauri James, a member of the OU Synchrocats, is collecting these cans with her teammates on Saturday morning.
James said, “I like the idea of Beautification Day. I don’t know how many cans we will get so early on a weekend morning, but either way it should be a good time.”
Bringer, who lives in off-campus housing, said that plastic cups and cigarette butts are everywhere after parties, especially on Mill Street.
“I don’t think that students always realize that someone has to pick up all those things if they are going to go anywhere,” she added.
Athens resident and OU student Sarah Kaplan agrees that students contribute significantly to the appearance of the town. She sees trash buildup “along streets and close to the residence halls,” and commented that the town is a bit cleaner during the summer months.
Still, Fritz sees Beautification Day as an indication that club sports, as well as other organizations and students, do care about Athens.
“With the community’s support, this event can continue to grow,” he added.
Opening ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. behind McCracken Hall Field. Scheduled to speak at the event are President Roderick McDavis, Mayor Ric Abel, State Representative Jimmy Stewart, the Athens Beautification Day Officers and other city and university officials.
As of April 20, groups involved include OU Field Hockey, Womens Lacrosse, ACACIA, Student Senate, Theta Chi, the Synchrocats, Mens Soccer Team, Triathlon Club, Men and Womens Varsity Swim Team, Alexander High School Track and Field, Men and Womens Crew and Men and Womens Water Polo.
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For more information on Athens Beautification Day, visit the event’s Web site.