ELGIN -A city-wide clean up and recycle day will take place on May 19, at the Stampede grounds from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., thanks to a hard working Elgin clean up committee, their volunteers and participating organizations and businesses.

Committee co-chairs Kem Brainerd and Jessica Anderson worked with members Gregory Chamberlin (Elgin Lions club), Monty McIntosh (Stampeders’ president), Maureen Smolkowski (city beautification committee), Nickie Voltaire (Parent-Teacher Organization), Cindy Chandler (Rockwall Grange president), City Maintenance Director Dan Larman, Larry Knowles from Restore and Fran Zerber from Boise Cascade.

The committee recently sent out 1,000 newsletters to Elgin residents informing them of the first annual clean up day and its details. Stella Mayfield principal Dianne Greif will be contacting parents via the School Messenger system.

Banners produced by Rich Zinzer which advertise the event will be hung at St. Mary’s church grounds on Division Street, the Elgin Food Bank in the downtown merchant sector and on the fence at the Stampede grounds.

“We have put in about 40 hours of preparation,” said Brainerd, “and we want to thank Regina Kruse of Cove for sharing Cove’s model with us. It saved us a lot of time and work.”

The committee raised $2,000 to get this event started.

“We’re grateful for the donations we received from the Union County Transit fund, the Elgin Economic Development and Growth Endeavor organization, the Elgin Lions club and the Elgin Chamber of Commerce,” Brainerd said. “Hopefully, we’ll make additional money from donations on clean-up day.”

As residents drive in with their items to leave at the collection site at the Stampede grounds, they will be greeted by donation collectors Kathy Bonney and Debbie Morton of the Community Bank. Public donations help offset the costs involved with garbage transport and fees. The committee asks that residents please be generous with their donations.

The Elgin Stampeders have generously donated the use of their grounds for the event, said Brainerd, and there will be stations set up to collect items for disposal and recycling.

“We will accept solid waste (household garbage), metals, old tires, batteries, paints, used oils, computers and appliances,” said Anderson. “We cannot accept liquids or gases of any kind, chemicals or any hazardous materials. No yard debris will be accepted because the Elgin City Garbage accepts yard waste for free.”

Anderson said that vehicles will be directed to six stations in the following order: (1) the reuseable yardsale items, then (2) tires, (3) computers and electronics, (4) paints, batteries and oils, (5) solid waste, and (6) scrap metals and appliances.

“If you have items that are useable and you would like to recycle them, please put them in the front of your load (for station No. 1),” said Anderson. “If your vehicle is not loaded in the order stated, you will be asked to move to the end of the line to rearrange your load.”

Volunteers will be on hand to unload your items when you approach each station. Drivers are asked to stay inside their vehicles at all times and allow the volunteers to do their work. Traffic will be directed by volunteers, so please follow their instructions, said Brainerd.

Seniors with disabilities or those who are housebound should sign up now for the home pick-up service.

“Home pick ups are available for a donation to those needing physical assistance,” said Brainerd. “You must be scheduled in advance for that service on Saturday. Appointments are limited so sign up now by contacting Patty Durfee at 541-437-6125 with the Elgin Fire Department.”

Old tires will be accepted. The first four tires per household are accepted without a fee, but each tire in excess of that will cost $1 per tire. Truck and tractor tires will have an additional charge.

Elgin’s first annual clean up will take residents’ items and either dispose of them or redeem them for cash to benefit their charitable organization. Residents clean up, and charitable organizations green up. It’s a win-win situation.

“It’s really good to get all the organizations together to work like this,” said Maureen Smolkowski, a former educator and long-time city volunteer.

Brainerd said volunteers are needed to unload vehicles at each station. They will be given work vests, kept hydrated and fed a tasty noon lunch. The Corner Market will be donating food for the volunteers’ lunch.

To volunteer or for more information, call Kem Brainerd at Lackey Insurance or Jessica Anderson at Wheatland Insurance.