Community Driven Cleanups Aim To Squash Litter-Bugs
For more than 10 years, Camille Garrison, the chair of the Waynedale Trails and Sidewalks Initiative and members of the Winterset Association have led a regular effort under the Adopt A Trail program to clean up trash along the St. Mary’s Pathway which follows the river along Fairfield Avenue, starting at the Lower Huntington Road intersection.
There are generally two peak times where they say trash is most apparent. When the winter weather subsides, receding snow reveals the human impact. And, in the fall after summer traffic along the trail.
Many may think a single cigarette butt or one bag will disintegrate or not be “that big of a deal.” However, trash has a way of collecting along roadsides and trails one piece at a time. A drink cup tossed from a car, a snack wrapper dropped on a walk, or plastic blown from an overfilled bin can quickly turn natural spaces into dumping grounds. What may seem like a small amount of litter adds up fast, especially in areas with regular traffic, wind, and rain. Over time, these scattered pieces of garbage can make once-beautiful corridors feel neglected, discourage public use, and send the message that further littering is acceptable.
This cleanup crew speaks from the experience of collecting tens of trash bags each time they go out on their mission to remove litter, a minimum of three times a year.
The damage goes far beyond appearance. Litter can harm wildlife that mistake plastic, packaging, and other waste for food, or become tangled in bags, rings, and fishing lines. As rain washes trash from roads and trails into ditches, storm drains, creeks, and rivers, the problem spreads into the broader watershed. Plastics can break down into smaller pieces, polluting water and threatening fish, birds, and other animals. In the end, trash left on the ground rarely stays in one place. It travels, contaminates habitats, and becomes part of a larger environmental problem that affects both wildlife and the health of local waterways.
However, you can do your part to help our local ecosystem in a few ways.
Encouraging others to not litter is one of the most impactful ways to prevent the problem before it happens. When you see it, call it out. Some people are simply not aware of how their little piece of trash might become a big problem. Many might feel uncomfortable telling others what to do, but education can go a long way to help the environment and the animals who live in it. Not to mention, lessening the workload of those humans who go out to clean it all up.
You can get involved in a local trail cleanup. On Saturday, April 18 at 9a, Garrison and her crew invite you to meet them at the former Penguin Point (7303 Winchester Rd, Fort Wayne) to cleanup the St. Mary’s Pathway. They will provide grabbers and trash bags. As a friendly, community focused group, this is also a great way to make friends and meet others who are passionate about making a local impact.
As a part of the City’s trash cleanup initiative, volunteers and groups are invited to join this year’s Great American Cleanup the morning of Saturday, May 2. Cleanup efforts are a great way to see family, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations, or any other group you can encourage to come out to help. Although it takes only a few hours to clean, it makes a huge difference when a lot of people participate.
The City of Fort Wayne will provide groups with garbage bags, gloves, and T-shirts. Volunteers are asked to pre-register asap at cityoffortwayne.in.gov/677/Great-American-Clean-up.
Staff members from the Solid Waste Department will coordinate and assign locations to ensure areas with the most need are addressed, but groups may pick an area of their choice if they have identified a location.
In 2025, over 3,500 volunteers collected more than 65 tons of litter and debris from neighborhoods, parks, riverbanks, and roadsides. For more information, please call the City of Fort Wayne Solid Waste Department at 260-427-1345 or by email greatamericancleanup@cityoffortwayne.org.
Spring is a time when people can show community pride by lending a hand to clean up littered roadsides, parks, trails, and river ways. A clean city makes a difference. With the help of volunteers, Fort Wayne can come together and show how much they care about the community’s neighborhoods and public spaces.
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