SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — For the fourth time this summer, volunteers are coming together to help out a Sioux Falls neighborhood. The Whittier Residents Association has organized these cleanups to help anyone who may be unable to take their old items to the dump.
“We found that these strategic dumpster stops through the neighborhood, people are able to access it more right in front of their homes,” said Lim Bun, president of the Whittier Residents Association. “So, we choose a location and then about 2 to 300 houses around that location. We ask them to bring their stuff, and we help them get rid of it.”
Each cleanup involves a partnership with a local organization or business for the association to use as its homebase. Today, volunteers gathered at the Children’s Home Society Shelter, but they previously worked with the St. Francis House, which is a partnership that has continued.
“My boss, Julie, she’s the CEO. She sent me an email and said, hey, reach out to Lim. He’s the president of the Whittier Neighborhood Association. And see if we can get some of our guests to volunteer at some of these cleanups. And I jumped right on board,” said Andy Wingert, volunteer coordinator at the St. Francis House.
Even though there were various couches and bigger items, Wingert says you don’t have to be able to do all the heavy lifting in order to volunteer.
“I mean, we’ve got a guy that has a few broken fingers and he’s digging in and getting in there,” said Wingert. “So, anybody that wants to come help, because it’s not just about carrying the stuff. Yeah, we need people to help carry, but it’s also being a part and showing up for the neighborhood.”
And if you’re not sure how much of a difference you can make, Bun puts it this way:
“In just these three cleanups, and now this fourth one, we’ll have moved tons, if not, again, tens of thousands of pounds of trash out of the neighborhood,” said Bun “And if that can be done by one neighbor, you’d have to think about what can you do as well?”
