LORAIN, Ohio — Lorain is using a friendly competition to spark revitalization in the city.
A summertime initiative will have neighbors face off to see who can complete the most cleanup.
“For me, it’s a movement to get people involved and to give back to this community,” said Rey Carrion.
The Lorain City Service Director has been leading the rollout of the Lorain Clean and Green League.
He explained neighbors, organizations, schools and businesses can form teams of two to 20 people to compete across multiple divisions between June and August.
The groups will earn points for picking up litter, reporting graffiti and illegal dumping, participating in community events and promoting cleanup efforts on social media.
As a former city council member, Carrion said he led similar cleanup efforts and noticed longer-term improvements than city-driven cleanup.
“When people do it and they put their blood and their sweat and their tears into a cleanup, we see those results last longer,” he said.
Ward 5 city council member Sabrina Gonzalez said illegal dumping, litter and blight have plagued parts of her neighborhood and cleaning it up was a campaign promise.
“We can’t be expected to bring in business people here to want to start new businesses or do anything here if we don’t look like we care about where we live,” she said.
Some fishermen along Lorain’s Black River and Lake Erie waterfronts said they’ve been cognizant of litter cleanup for years.
“Take it with you when you bring it and then everyone else doesn’t have to work so hard,” said Kenneth Jackson.
Others said a popular fishing spot near the Black River is also a popular place for litterbugs.
“Old cartons from worms and pizza boxes and old clothes and stuff you wonder - why in the world it would be here, you know what I mean?” said resident James Workman.
He said he sometimes brings a trash bag with him while fishing to clean up discarded garbage.
“I just believe everybody should do that stuff,” he said. “It’s something I just do.”
The city plans to track the progress of teams participating in the Lorain Clean and Green League.
The top-scoring teams will be honored at an award ceremony and receive prizes yet to be determined.
“We make this community better when everybody steps in and everybody lends a hand,” said Carrion.
Registration is now open. Teams may sign up, request cleanup supplies, and begin organizing their efforts for the upcoming season. You can submit completed registration forms by email to Rey_Carrion@cityoflorain.org or by phone at (440) 204-2060.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
