BURLINGTON – Jim Gooch marked Robert Melba’s name on a clipboard as the Burlington resident pulled his pickup next to the dumpster.

Saturday, June 10, 2000

BURLINGTON – Jim Gooch marked Robert Melba’s name on a clipboard as the Burlington resident pulled his pickup next to the dumpster.

Volunteers picked brush, scrap wood and old car parts from the truck, tossing them up into the bin on County Road 1.

"We had 16 and a half tons last year, but we’re going to be closer to 25 this year," Gooch said.

Gooch and other Concerned Citizens of Burlington watched Saturday as residents like Melba dumped trash and crews picked debris from at least 30 homes – the culmination of the group’s annual week-long Burlington Cleanup.

"It’s really making the community look better," said Harriette Ramsey, president of the Concerned Citizens.

Flyers circulated last month encouraged residents to clean up around their homes and sidewalks all week.

The Concerned Citizens provided dumpsters, pickup crews and paid the dumping fees.

General Refuse Service and Green Valley Landfill worked with the group on dumpster and landfill costs, said Gooch, cleanup committee chairman.

"Everybody’s really helped this year and the amounts we’ve received so far show that," he said.

"We’re having to make arrangements this year that we didn’t last year, just because of all the participation."

Dozens of residents, Concerned Citizens members and others, like Gene Gill, turned out to volunteer.

Judge Donald Capper’s court worker program at the Lawrence County Municipal Court planted flowers at Burlington Commons and lended a hand to the cleanup efforts.

Fayette Township trustees joined in this year with support for the cleanup week, plus by cleaning up abandoned property.

And, the donations have come in steadily, Gooch said.

The group relies on those donations – $10 to dump trash and $20 for pickup – plus other gifts and fund-raisers to pay for the cleanup, Mrs. Ramsey said.

The Concerned Citizens has held cleanups every year for more than 10 years to inspire a sense of pride in Burlington residents, she said.

"We all need to keep our community clean," she said. "I like to see everyone pitch in every year."

Next year, Mrs. Ramsey said she would like to see even more participation from residents and businesses.