By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — These days, being “green” doesn't mean being inexperienced. Quite the opposite, as hundreds of people in the Blackstone Valley have signed up for the experience of helping to improve their community.

This week, the Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful organization rallied local volunteers to participate in the 2009 Great American Cleanup. On Wednesday, representatives of numerous school and civic groups met at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center to pick up their cleanup supplies: gloves, trash bags, an identifying banner and other items that will be used by the volunteers.
According to Emily Soergal, coordinator of Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful, The Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program and takes place annually from March 1 through May 31. Under the theme of “Green Starts Here,” there are 23 events planned in the Blackstone Valley that include such activities as litter cleanups, beautification and recycling events.
Soergal stated, “Blackstone Valley residents are joining over 2.3 million volunteers in over 15,000 communities across the country to make their neighborhoods cleaner and more beautiful places to live in.”
She added that while national trends indicate a declining commitment to volunteerism, “Blackstone Valley residents are shattering these statistics by making the commitment to beautify their neighborhoods.”
Robert Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, stated, “We are taking a hands-on approach to sustainability by conducting cleanups, tire and electronics recycle drives, tree and flower plantings, educational workshops and other community improvement activities. We hope that residents of all ages can join us in our efforts to make our community an even better place to live, work and play.”
Locally, the events are being planned around Earth Day, which is April 22. Since Earth Day occurs mid-week, many of the local events begin on Saturday, April 25, although some are being held on Saturday, April 18.
Billington noted that while he is pleased to see the activities that spring up each year as a celebration of Earth Day, he wishes the cleanup sites would stay clean the rest of the year. “We like to think we wouldn't need an Earth Day and people would clean up after themselves every day,” he stated.
Among the many sponsors of the local activities, Soergal said that Dan's Management, which operates many local Dunkin' Donuts franchises is providing free breakfast items for the volunteers and Town Fair Tire has offered to recycle up to 3,000 old tires that are turned in.
The national sponsors of the 2009 Great American Cleanup are: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; Arm & Hammer, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Dow Chemical Company, Glad Trash Bags, Pepsi-Cola Company, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Solo Cup Company, Troy-Bilt Lawn and Garden Equipment, University of Phoenix, Waste Management, Inc.; Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., and Educational Partner: Rubber Manufacturers Association.
For a complete listing of local volunteer events that are part of The Great American Cleanup, visit: www.keepblackstonevalleybeautiful.com or call 401-724-2200.
The local events scheduled for the next two weekends are as follows:
Saturday, April 18:
The City of Woonsocket will host a cleanup of Darling Pond from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Town of North Smithfield will host the annual North Smithfield Clean & Green neighborhood beautification event. Volunteers will meet at Homestead Gardens at 8:30 a.m.
The Smithfield Conservation Commission will host a littler cleanup in various areas of town. Volunteers will meet at the Smithfield Conservation Center at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, April 22
The Burrillville Lions Club will host a town-wide litter cleanup. Volunteers should meet at the Town Garage at 9 a.m.
Saturday, April 25
Friends of Elder Ballou Cemetery will cleanup and revitalize the historic cemetery in Cumberland from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Central Falls Parks and recreation Department will host a litter cleanup at Jenks Park with the Ralph J. Holden Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation will be getting the Barton Street Community Garden ready for spring as well as picking up litter on Barton and Nickerson Streets. Volunteers should meet at the Barton Street Community Garden at 9 a.m.
The Boys & Girls Club will be cleaning up Agnes Little Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Blackstone River Watershed Council will be cleaning up the riverbank from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers should meet at the Manville Landing.
The Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket will be cleaning up two areas of the Blackstone River from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers should meet at Lorraine Mills or the Pawtucket Town Landing.
An Electronics Recycling Drive, hosted by Keep Blackstone Valley beautiful and the Town of Lincoln, will be held at the Town Garage from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Most items are free although some require a small disposal fee. The event is sponsored by Green Tech Associates.
The Friends of the Moshassuck River will be picking up litter at two locations from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m Volunteers should meet at Galego Pond or the Ryder Bus area.
The Quality Hill Neighborhood Association will be picking up litter in their neighborhood from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m.
The YWCA of Central Falls will be revitalizing their playground and doing landscape maintenance from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m.