News Releases

Montgomery Village (South Lake Elementary Area) Community Clean Up This Saturday- Volunteers Needed

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 17, 2015

November 18, 2015 - UPDATE - CLEAN UP CANCELLED: Due to logistical issues and safety concerns, the community clean up scheduled for this Saturday, November 21, has been cancelled. The Department and partner organizations are working to resolve these challenges and will keep the community updated.  We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate all of the help that residents and businesses have offered for this event.

The Montgomery County Police Department, the South Lake Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), the Verandahs Apartments, and the Montgomery Village Foundation, have partnered to create a community clean up of the wooded area between the South Lake Elementary School and Tunstall Drive/ Willow Creek Drive that will take place on Saturday, November 21.  Volunteers are needed to help with this clean up.



The November 2 homicide of Roberto Gutierrez Cruz in this wooded area brought attention to the need for this neglected public space to be cleaned up and restored.  The wooded area, which borders the elementary school playground, experiences a lot of foot traffic.  The Department, PTA, the Verandahs, and the Montgomery Village Foundation hope that volunteers will come together to create a space that is more attractive and usable to community member and less attractive to criminals.

WHAT:

• Clean up of the wooded area between the South Lake Elementary School and Tunstall Drive/ Willow Creek Drive.

• Some of the activities that volunteers can participate in:
  
  
  • Cleaning up litter and trash
  • Cleaning trails of debris and making the trails safe for travel
  • Raking leaves
  • Trimming overgrown bushes and plants
  • General landscaping
  • Removing graffiti

WHEN: This Saturday, November 21

TIME:

• 8:00 a.m. to noon

• We encourage volunteers to arrive promptly at 8:00 a.m., as organizers will address the volunteers and review important information before the clean up begins.

• If you cannot volunteer for the entire time, please come for any amount of time that you are able to give to this effort.  (Just remember to sign in with the PTA at the front of the school - additional information below).

MEETING LOCATION:

• Volunteers are asked to meet at the front of the South Lake Elementary (18201 Contour Road) promptly at 8:00 a.m.

• All volunteers must sign in with the PTA at the front of the school upon arrival, regardless of arrival time.

WHO:

• Volunteers must be at least 12 years old.  Please note that a parent or guardian must sign a waiver form if the volunteer is under age 18.
  
  

• We welcome every resident and encourage the participation of groups and also students looking to earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours.  (Organizers will have SSL forms on site).

PARKING: Volunteers can park at the South Lake Elementary School.

RESTROOMS: Available in the school.

WATER/SNACKS: Complimentary water and snacks available to volunteers.

TOOLS: Volunteers, if so inclined, can bring rakes and other landscaping hand tools to aid in the clean up.  Please do not bring gas or electric-operated tools and machinery.

CLOTHING: Please wear appropriate clothing. (Volunteers are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and long pants).

CHILDCARE: Childcare is available free of charge inside the elementary school.

WEATHER: In case of inclement weather, the clean up will be cancelled and rescheduled for a date to be determined.  A decision to cancel the event will be made by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 20, and a cancellation notice will be placed:

• At the top of this release
• On the 6th District Community Webpage
• On the Department's Facebook and Twitter sites

POINTS OF CONTACT:

• For community members who may have questions about this cleanup event, please contact the 6th District Community Service Officer, Scott Zimmerman, at 240-773-5700.
  
  

• The media is encouraged to attend this event.  Members of the media are asked to contact the Public Information Office at 240-773-5030 (option 4) for more information.

RLI

# # #

Release ID: 15-371
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: community-event