by Bill Knowles
TRINIDAD — A Comcast sponsored cleanup in selected areas of Trinidad in April of this year has shown some benefit already, at least to those who participated in the event. At least 100 local residents, Comcast employees, their families, and board members from the Trinidad Community Foundation (TCF) volunteered for the cleanup as part of the “Comcast Cares Day.”The TCF became a partner organization with Comcast in 2008 and has played a major role in organizing the local event and recruiting volunteers. Since its beginning in 2001, Comcast Cares Day has become one of the largest single days of corporate volunteering in the country, with both Comcast and community volunteers giving over 2.1 million hours of service.
For their participation in the event, the Comcast Foundation provides a grant to local community partner organizations across the country. This year the TCF received a $1,700 grant, sharing the award with the nine organizations which participated in the cleanup.
Participants for 2015 were: Boy Scout troop 269, Girl Scout troop 30344, Trout Unlimited, Purgatoire Watershed Partnership, Trinidad Autism Awareness, TSJC SOCO BEST, Friday Nite Live, City of Trinidad Tree Board, and Celebrating Recovery.
Areas that were cleaned included the river and riverbanks, Mt San Rafael and Ave Maria Shrine grounds, Santa Fe Trail, and the I-25 Trinidad entrance points. Volunteers also cleaned the Southside, Cimino, and Central Parks, as well as the local community garden. Curbs along Main Street and parking blocks at the Catholic Cemetery were also painted.
