Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce

Officials from the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce announced today that over 1,700 volunteers will be participating in the "Great Pennsylvania Cleanup” campaign, scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 21st.  Chamber Vice President of Marketing and local coordinator Leann Fallabel 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.”  Travelers are being asked to be very cautious when driving around the Greater Hazleton Area Saturday and throughout the following week, due to the number of volunteers participating in the cleanup effort.

The following individuals/groups and their cleanup locations, who have thus far signed to participate:

Advanced Physical Therapy, Anthony Martoccio, APTS Ambulance, Barbara Kocur, Barnhorst Family, Beech Mountain Lakes, Birdland Music, Black Creek Township Alumni, Boy Scout Troop 790, CAN DO, Inc., Cargill, Carmella Yenkevich, Concerned Parents of the Hazleton Area, Conyngham/Sugarloaf Community Cleanup Group - Dave Smith, Country Christians Youth Group, CSIU -Migrant Education Program, DeAngelo Family, Eagle Rock Resort, East County Road Group, Eckley Social and Sports Club, Ed J. Shemansky, Tyler Farran & Jared Luchetta, Fearnots Volunteer Fire Company, Ferdinand Family & Neighbors, Freeland Area Support Team, Freeland Recreation Board, Fritzingertown Senior Living Community, Gennaro Family, Gerlach and Bittenbender Families, Girl Scout Brownie Troop 4270, Girl Scout Troops 4276, 4210, 4207, Gottstein Contracting Corporation, Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, HAHS Key Club, Hazleton Area Street Hockey League, Hazleton Elks #200/HACC, Hazleton Housing Authority, Hazleton Lions, Hazleton Parking Authority, Highway Equipment, Hilltop Drive Tax Payers Associations, Iglesia Bethesda Casade Misericordia, Inc., Immanuel Christian School, Janice Daniszewski, Jeddo Borough Residents, Jim Walck Lawn & Shrub, Joann Belletieri, Ken Modlick, Keystone Job Corps Center, Knights of Columbus, Council 8613, Landscape Solutions and Designs, Latino's Media Enterprise, Laurels Senior Living, Lehigh Tire, Marie Welsh, McNelis Home Care, MH Group, Minsec, Moisey Family, Molinegocios USA Inc, Moose Family, Mountain Valley Family Martial Arts, Mr. Phil's Laundry Center, Nescopeck State Park, Nuremburg Community Players, Oakmont Acres Residents, Pardeesville Group, Penn State Hazleton, Pitt Ohio, Polanco General Services, Prochko Family, Remember When, Rodney Hawk, Sardo Family, Services Etcetera Professional Cleaning, Sleepy Hollow Neighborhood, Smith Family, Soroko and Ziminski Families, St. John Bosco Church-3rd Grade CCD, St. John's Lutheran Church, St. John's Lutheran Church, Stacey Heck, State Representative Tarah Toohill, Stefanick Family, Susan Notaro and Lisa Kriesl, T. Verrastro Beer Distributor, Tresckow Road Crew, Trovitch Family, UGI Utilities Inc., Veet Family, Video by UVP, Vital House, Volunteer Center of Greater Hazleton Hazleteens, West Hazleton Elementary/Middle School Builders Club, Young Family.

The Chamber has been coordinating the local campaign for the past thirty 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.

Local businesses have also contributed coupons and or/treats for every volunteer. Those businesses include  Bonanza Family Restaurant, The Hershey Company, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Burger King in Humbolt Station and Burger King on Route 309 in Hazleton, Sonic Drive-In and Wendy’s.  In addition, Black Creek Township, the City of Hazleton, Hazle Township, Butler 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 and are located at 20 West Broad Street, Downtown Hazleton.