T-R FILE PHOTO — A Marshalltown resident cleans up State Street in a previous Team Up to Clean Up event downtown. The event will take place again April 20, courtesy of the Marshalltown Central Business District.

Residents of Marshalltown can volunteer for two efforts courtesy of the Marshalltown Central Business District (MCBD).

On April 20, the organization will host Team Up to Clean Up in the downtown area. If it happens to be raining, the event will be held April 21. MCBD Board of Directors Vice President Travis Hornberg said volunteers will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Marshall County Courthouse square. They will get supplies, such as bags, litter grabbers and gloves, and clean the downtown from 10 a.m. to noon.

“This is a cool thing to do. There is a lot of trash in the spring,” he said. “There will be a drawing for prizes for anyone who participates.”

The prizes include gift cards from sponsoring retailers Wax Xtatic Record Shop and Sub City. Additional sponsors of the clean up include Cleaniac, Marshall County Landfill, which will provide the volunteer supplies and Junk Relief is supplying dumpsters and trash hauling services.

“If something is too big, and not safe to pick up, there will be help,” Hornberg said. “Families, organizations and church groups can help out.”

The clean up will be divided into quadrants, with focus placed on blocks of Main, State and Church streets.

“One quadrant will go from Third to First on [the streets],” he said. “If someone wants to focus on a specific area, they can do that.”

While volunteers will clean all of downtown, Hornberg said focus will be placed on alleys and areas behind buildings. Garbage sometimes blows out of dumpsters and collects in those areas.

“That is going to be our big focus,” he said. “We ask owners to take stock and make sure the back door is inviting when [construction] tears up Main Street.”

This marks the fourth year of Team Up to Clean Up. The effort is something Hornberg said they do in the spring and fall, and will continue to do so. Last year he said more than 100 people volunteered to clean, and he hopes to exceed that number on April 20.

Flower baskets

The second volunteer opportunity is the flower baskets gracing the Main Street poles from Third Avenue to Third Street from the beginning of June to the beginning of October. During the last 20 years, Hornberg said MCBD has been hanging the baskets, and they need people to volunteer for daily watering.

“We are actively seeking volunteers on a week-by-week basis to help water the flowers,” he said. “It is fairly easy. It only takes an hour and a half in the morning. Volunteers are given the training and supplies.”

During the summer mornings, a Marshalltown volunteer can be spotted driving a John Deere cart pulling a wagon with a tank. Hornberg said some people might be leery of driving the vehicle, but assured it is similar to a golf cart.

“I recommend having someone with you – it’s more enjoyable,” he said. “One can jump out and water, the other can drive. It keeps it moving along, and can cut down the time commitment.”

Through the years, residents have complimented the MCBD on the flower baskets, which bear petunias. Isle of Green, which is a great partner he said, will provide the petunias.

“It’s cool that people will stop and thank, and appreciate the flower baskets,” Hornberg said. “[I think] 95 percent of the residents appreciate the baskets, and say how great they look – especially when the military banners go up.”

The challenge this year is to try to get enough volunteers. Last year, he said the MCBD lucked out when some companies volunteered for flower basket duty. Hornberg hopes companies or churches step up again.

“It can be a struggle to get participants, because people think it’s difficult, but it’s really not,” he said.

There is no deadline to sign up. Hornberg said if people are not able to water the flowers, they can share the posts about it from the MCBD Facebook page. He also asked people to RSVP, comment on or share the Facebook event.

“If someone isn’t able to do one of the days, we are also looking for back-ups,” Hornberg said. “That way, we have people on standby in case something comes up, and the volunteer can make it.”

VOLUNTEER INFO

Contact: Travis Hornberg

Email: travis.hornberg@qpsemployment.com

Website: Facebook

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Contact Lana Bradstream at (641) 753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.