By Renee Worthing
Register Reporter


Armed with black trash bags, gloves and bottles of water, 70 volunteers picked up 1.6 tons of trash along Sanford roadways during Sanford’s fourth annual Clean Up Day on May 14.
After receiving directions from Public Works Department Assistant Donna Gray, participants headed to the outskirts of town and worked their way back in, collecting trash from the sides of roads along the way.
Waving off clouds of black flies Sanford Regional Airport Manager Evan McDougal, his wife Betsy and McDougal Orchards employee Marvin Nye, scoured the woods on Hanson Ridge Road, collecting plastic lids from coffee cups, empty cigarette packs and cans.
Evan McDougal said the most unusual item he found was a collection of vinyl records including an Aretha Franklin album.
Public Works Employee Larry Stone and Strategies for a Stronger Sanford Coordinator Joan Affonso accompanied the YMCA’s Leaders Club members Cody Freeman, Craig Ege and Jeff Roberts and members of Strategies for a Stronger Sanford on Route 202 where they said they collected five or six bags of garbage within the first two hours.
“We’ve picked up a lot of beer bottles, cans, fast food wrappers and cigarette boxes,” Freeeman said.
On Route 109 in south Sanford, a group from Waban’s LifeWorks program caught a glimpse of a moose moments after they arrived at their post.
LifeWorks Community Inclusion Coordinator Kim Normand said the moose disappeared just as quickly as it appeared, but said it was still a treat for the LifeWorks members.
She said the LifeWorks group collected several bags of trash, including a headboard and a tire.
“We had a good day,” LifeWorks Community Inclusion Specialist Jon Stimmell said.
He said the participants also volunteered their time for last year’s Graffiti Paint Out Day.
“This is a way to give back to the community,” Stimmell said.
Sanford High School seniors in need of community service hours for graduation also participated.
Nova Normand and Gale McGrath, both Sanford High School students, said they had a good day and even though they won’t need community hours after graduation, they will definitely participate again next year, despite one hazards associated with the job – ticks.
At 1 p.m., volunteers returned to Goodall Park on Roberts Street where they feasted on a barbecue meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, soda, and wate donated by area businesses.
Public Works Director Charles Andreson said it was an “absolutely perfect day” for the Clean Up event.
Gray said among the trash collected, volunteers picked up 11 tires, two mailboxes, one car battery, one sofa chair, two mufflers, three bicycles and one television.
  She said while 1.6 tons of trash is a lot, it is a smaller amount than gathered in previous years.
“I think we’re keeping up with it now,” she said.
 To contact Renee Worthing, email news@intheregister.com or 282-4337 ext. 240