The Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will once again sponsor the "Great American Cleanup” campaign. The one-day cleanup will be conducted Saturday, April 22nd. If volunteer groups cannot pick up on the 22nd, they can gather either on Friday the 21st or Sunday the 23rd. Groups are asked to leave bags along the cleaup route and PennDOT and local municipatlies will pick up the bags on Monday, April 24th. Garbage bags, safety vests, gloves a certificate of particpation and some goodies are provided to all the volunteer groups and can be picked up at the Chamber office from 8 am to 5 pm the week of April 17th.

"The Great American Cleanup" is a statewide effort designed to encourage concerned citizens and groups to participate in a meaningful community beautification effort. The Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce is the local coordinator for the Greater Hazleton Area.

This year marks the thirty-fifth year that the Chamber is coordinating the yearly cleanup in the Greater Hazleton Area. The cleanup has become the largest volunteer effort in Luzerne County. During the last few years, nearly 90 groups consisting of 1,000 volunteers participated in the one-day cleanup effort. Assisting the Chamber and PennDOT in the cleanup effort are the street departments of the City of Hazleton, Hazle Township, West Hazleton Borough, Butler Township and Black Creek Township.

Targeted areas include entrances into the Greater Hazleton Area, playgrounds and greenspaces. Participants can, if they choose, select any specific area that they feel is in need. Gather your family, friends, employees, or volunteer group, adopt an area, roadway, or playground and help us to cleanup Greater Hazleton.

The cleanup effort is supported by the State and local police departments. Anyone seen littering will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

PennDOT stresses that this is a litter cleanup and is not intended for bulk trash removal. Crews will not pick up large items such as appliances, furniture, mattresses, etc.

If you would like to become involved, please contact the Chamber office 455-1509 or email Registration forms are also available on our online calendar of events on our website at www.hazletonchamber.org.

The cleanup program (Keep PA Beautiful) began in the Hazleton Area in 1983 and is the largest one-day cleanup effort in the county.

Pictured in the photo from the left is Corey Fogarty and Mayor Frank Schmidt from the Borough of West Hazleton; Mark Yeager from PennDOT; Mike Vislosky and Sam Minneci from the City of Hazleton; Era Gould from Hazle Township and Dan Guydish, Great American Cleanup Coordinator from the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce.