The idea of Halloween brings different images to mind. For some, it’s scary costumes. For others, it’s bags full of delicious candy. But for communities across Peoria, it can mean terrifying amounts of trash to be cleaned up.
Bradley students got a head start on this daunting cleanup this past weekend by picking up trash in the neighborhoods surrounding campus.
The City of Peoria and the Renaissance Park Community Association hosted their fifth annual Trash or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 26. Many Bradley students got their hands dirty as they took part in Service on Saturday.
Students and community members geared up with buckets, bags, and gloves as they picked up trash along Main Street. They could redeem each bucket or bag of trash collected for a small bag of candy.
“It’s kind of a win-win situation,” one student said, candy bar in hand.
Per Ellingson is the president of the Renaissance Park Community Association, or RPCA. He said the city reached out, as they needed some help cleaning up, and Bradley was also willing to support.
“Yeah, it was like the pieces just fell together,” Ellingson said.
Renaissance Park is the community of neighborhoods surrounding Bradley. It lies between Moss Avenue and I-74.
“It’s a really unique area,” Ellingson said. “There’s a bunch of different people living in this area, like students, professionals, people of all different backgrounds.”
Ellingson said RCPA often hosts events for the community, including community cleanups and outdoor concerts. Their community garden is completely planted by volunteers, and anyone in the community can harvest from it.
“This area isn’t exactly a food desert, but almost.” Ellingson said, “This way, [the garden] fulfills a need.”
Junior nursing major Max Bolliger helped clean up as part of Service on Saturday. Bolliger said Service on Saturday brings different experiences each time.
“When it’s Service on Saturday, you never know what you’re going to get,” Bolliger said. “It’s always something different, which makes it interesting.”
And the community saw the work they were doing.
“People passing by have definitely noticed,” Bolliger said. “They were very thankful we we giving our time back to the community.”
The community have been voicing their admiration to the volunteers.
“People from the community have been walking by and noticing what we were doing,”
Senior international studies major Jessica Moreano said. “They were very appreciative.”
