CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Volunteers are being sought for Beautify Chula Vista Day, an annual event staged by the City of Chula Vista and the South Bay Sustainable Communities Network.
City Environmental Services Manager Manuel Medrano explained, “You take pride in your city and you want to make sure you keep it very nice and clean and we’re trying to instill that into the volunteers to help make sure Chula Vista stays beautiful; stays clean for everybody.”
This is the 19th year for the project. Residents both young and old, working together; painting over graffiti, filling huge trash bags with litter. It is time well spent and it’s appreciated.
But a year has gone by since the last clean-up and trash has been piling up.
Medrano walked with us through an alley only a few blocks from city hall.
"A lot of litter you see here: car seats.. there's a lot of stuff that makes it to this alley, unfortunately, you know, not making our area as nice as it could be," said Medrano.
The City of Chula Vista has compiled a list of target locations, based on citizen complaints.
A woman named Lisa told CBS 8, "This is not the only spot; they're all over Chula Vista and if everybody gets their heads together, where everybody could have a roof over their heads, they won't come out here and litter."
The volunteers will meet before 8:30 a.m. on October 22 at Otay Community Center on Main Street or City Hall on 4th Avenue. Volunteers will need to pre-register and provide their own transportation.
Medrano suggested they bring sunscreen, snacks, and a water bottle. "They want to wear comfortable shoes, clothes they don't mind getting dirty, maybe getting some paint on 'em when they're cleaning graffiti."
Road signs with graffiti on them can't be painted over; they'll have to be replaced or stripped clean; walls and utility boxes, though, are easily covered.
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