Lawrence Reporter

As part of a coordinated neighborhood cleanup in camping areas occupied by people experiencing homelessness, the City of Lawrence is supporting a community-wide effort to clean in and around some of the camping areas adjacent to our parks and trails.

This coordinated effort is being led by Kevin Elliott, a North Lawrence resident who has been working closely with the City, the neighborhood associations, the Sunrise Project and those in camping areas to develop plans and schedule times for these volunteer cleanups.

“I recognize unhoused neighbors as neighbors who need support,” said Elliott, a lifelong Lawrence resident. “I am excited to be working on a project where we all work as neighbors, housed and unhoused, to the common goal of creating a better community.”

Planning is underway for several events. Currently, the following four are scheduled:

• East Lawrence Neighborhood: Amtrak site.
  Saturday, May 20 from 1- 4 p.m. (picnic lunch)
  Meet: Amtrak Parking Lot (East side of station)
• Pinkney Neighborhood: Sandra Shaw Health Park.
  Sunday, May 21 from 1-4 p.m. (picnic lunch)
  Meet: Sandra Shaw Health Park Pond Parking Lot, Near 2nd St. & Illinois
• Brook Creek Neighborhood: Burroughs Creek (from 12th St. to 15th St.)
  Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  Meet: Burroughs Trail Parking Lot, East 15th St
• North Lawrence: Boat Ramp.
  Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  Meet: North Lawrence boat ramp Parking Lot, North 8th St. & Oak St.

Additional volunteers are welcome! To volunteer, you can go to the specified meeting site during the scheduled times or contact Kevin Elliott at (785) 505-0039 or kevinsouthamerica@gmail.com.

The City of Lawrence will provide trash bags, gloves, trash sticks, wheelbarrows, bottled water and dumpsters along with staff assistance and trash removal.

“We greatly appreciate Mr. Elliott’s proactive commitment to work collaboratively along with our neighborhood associations and people experiencing homelessness to conduct these community cleanup projects,”  said Derek Rogers, director of Parks and Recreation. “This exemplifies Lawrence’s benevolent spirit.”

Kevin Elliott, the leader of this effort, has been working with the people staying at these camps to make sure they are informed and aware of the cleanups before they take place.

Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.org

Original source can be found here.