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Officials from the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce announced today that over 1600 volunteers are reading to participate in the “Great Pennsylvania Cleanup” campaign, scheduled to take place in the Greater Hazleton Area on Saturday, April 21.

Chamber President Donna Palermo states, “Once again, the Greater Hazleton community is coming out in force to help rid the area of litter and debris, and we thank them for their volunteer efforts. Our hope is that it provides an example for others to follow, and more importantly, to serve as a reminder to those people who abuse our environment by throwing litter on our area roadways, playgrounds and greenspaces to refrain from those disgusting habits.”

Ms. Palermo also stated that due to the recent snowstorm, several groups will also be cleaning up their designated areas next Saturday as well, with some groups going out during the week. Travelers are being asked to be very cautious when driving around the Greater Hazleton Area this Saturday and throughout the following week, due to the number of volunteers participating in the cleanup effort.

Leann Scatton, marketing director for the Chamber and local coordinator for the Hazleton Area clean-up effort, lists the following individuals/groups and their cleanup locations, who have thus far signed to participate:

APTS Ambulance; ARCIL; At Your Service; Barnhorst Family; Beech Mountain Lakes; Black Creek Township; Boy Scout Troop 790; CAN DO; Church Alive; City of Hazleton; Concerned Earthsavers; Conyngham/Sugarloaf Community Cleanup Group; Cub Scout Pack 790; East County Road Group; Ed J. Shemansky; Jim Monahan & Friends; El Mensajero; Executive Cleaning Services; Fritzingertown Senior Living Community; General Mills; Gerlach Family; Greater Hazleton Civic Partnership; Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce; HAHS Key Club; Hazle Brook Helpers; Hazle Drugs; Hazle Township; Hazleton Hispanic Business Association; Hazleton Housing Authority; Hazleton Lions Club; Hazleton Parking Authority; Hazleton Pre Vocational Shop; Hazleton Sr. High Life Skills Class; Highway Equipment; Hilltop Drive Tax Payers Associations; Immanuel Christian School; Jeddo Borough Council; Jim Walck Lawn & Shrub; Keystone Job Corps Center; Keystone Job Corps Center; Knights of Columbus; Landscape Solutions and Designs; Leadership Hazleton; Marie Welsh; McNelis Home Care; MMI Interact Club; Mountain Valley Family Martial Arts; Mr. Phil's Wicker Shop; Nescopeck SP Volunteers; Network Solutions; Nuremburg Community Players; Oakmont Acres Residents; Pardeesville Group; Penn State Hazleton; Remember When; Southside Community Partnership; Stefanick Signs; T. Verrastro Beer Distributor; The Ferdinand Family & Neighbors; The Gans/Moisey Family; The Gennaro Family; The Hazleton Downtown Athletic Club; The Laurels Assisted Living Solutions; The Monks Family; The Trovitch Family; Tiger Cubs Pack 63; Tresckow Road Neighbors; Vesuvio Pizza Group; Video by UVP; Vital House; Volunteer Center of Greater Hazleton; Wal-Mart Supercenter; West Hazleton Street Department; and Young/Medvecky Families.

The Chamber has been coordinating the local campaign for the past twenty-five years, and it has become the largest single day clean up effort in the region. More than 100 tons of trash and debris are removed from area roadsides each year. PennDOT officials stress that this is a litter cleanup and is not to be confused with bulk pick-ups which are conducted annually by most municipalities.

Groups and individuals will be provided with bags, vests, gloves and additional items. Groups are reminded that they must pick up their supplies by Friday.

Local businesses have also contributed coupons and or/treats for every volunteer.Those businesses include Bonanza Family Restaurant; Byorek’s Knotty Pine Restaurant; Domino’s Pizza; Hershey Foods; Kentucky Fried Chicken; McDonald’s; and Wendy’s.

In addition, Black Creek Township; the City of Hazleton; Hazle Township; and West Hazleton Borough will provide trucks and manpower to pick up the bags that the volunteers pack.

The Chamber of Commerce provides certificates to every participant.

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