More than 50 Loxahatchee Groves residents came out on Sunday, July 1 in an effort to “Clean Up the Groves” and coordinated the pickup of trash off the main roads throughout the entire town, with the assistance of the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association, town management and Palm Beach County for location of the pickup site.
The main coordinator was resident Ryan Tucker, who managed oversight and ensured that safety protocols were in place for all ages of volunteers.
Former Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District supervisors Anita Kane, Connie Bell and Karen Piesley were on hand to help, along with the Mayor Dave Browning and councilwomen Joyce Batcheler and Phillis Maniglia.
Immediately following the extensive morning cleanup was a 2 p.m. potluck barbecue at the Loxahatchee Groves Park pavilion, organized by resident Lisa Cruz and her family, grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled sweet corn, pulled pork and a huge amount of side dishes brought by fellow residents. Games were included for the kids, and everyone felt the sense of community and involvement.
Along with picking up huge amounts of trash, the camaraderie of about 100 fellow town residents was felt about by all in attendance, and plans are in preparation for yet another cleanup campaign in September.
