Volunteers hit streets to clean up Cedar Rapids

Dozens of volunteers hit the street Saturday to pick up litter and other debris as part of Make a Difference Day.

Residents joined the Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling

Division in cleaning

up four city neighborhoods.

Rotten food and dirty diapers were among the items volunteers found.

“You don't know how long things have been there,” volunteer Megan Zirtzman said.

Debris left from

the 2008 flood also was being picked up Saturday. Volunteers said the debris had added to the blight.

“It's a lot dirtier now because of the flood and it should be a lot cleaner after we do this,” volunteer Rebecca Jenkins said.

Megan Murphy, of the Cedar Rapids Utility Department, said she expected volunteers would only fill four or five garbage bags with litter and debris. But the crew in the Taylor Area neighborhood piled up 30 bags.

“It'd be great if we didn't have to do this,” Murphy said.

But volunteer Cassie Sweeney said someone had to step up to clean up the neighborhoods.

“If someone else doesn't do it, no one would,” Sweeney said.

City leaders said they hope to clean up neighborhoods again in the spring after the snow melts.