Jean Hickman, the Tucson Clean & Beautiful Adopt a Park and Public Areas program coordinator, manages 1035 sites consisting of streets, traffic circles, washes and parks around Tucson.
Over the years, groups within the community dedicate time and energy to keeping Tucson clean and beautiful by adopting a site. The sites are owned by Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation, COT Parks and Recreation, TDOT and Pima County Regional Flood Control District.
“The main purpose of having a group out there helping clean up a site is to support the maintenance staff and report any issues they find,” Hickman said. “We expect them to be observant and report any maintenance issues with infrastructure and equipment on public property. We do not take this lightly, and it is a serious commitment.”
Hickman said the groups are required to do cleanups at least once per month for six months and report back to her to receive recognition. Groups must also have at least five people interested in adopting a site for a request to be considered.
The UA African Student Association was presented with a certificate of gratitude on May 2 at the Dunbar Cultural Center to honor the club for adopting the street section two years ago from Campbell Avenue to Speedway Boulevard to Broadway Boulevard through the organization Tucson Clean & Beautiful. It marked the 307th ongoing Adopt-A-Park and Pubic Areas project to be coordinated through the Tucson organization, according to a press release.
ASA’s main mission is to provide children in Africa with the funds to help pay for their school fees. Eka Toussaint B. Chibasa, a UA senior studying philosophy, politics, economics and law (foreign affairs) and French, is the current ASA president.
“It was a great experience being recognized, but everyone in the club should get an opportunity to give back to the community,” Chibasa said. “We might not have a lot to give back, but the little that we do is appreciated.”
The club goes out twice a month in the morning with between eight to 12 members for two to three hours each time. Chibasa said the club totaled about 200 hours of community service.
“In the beginning, our area usually had plastic cups and paper, but now we find it to be a little bit cleaner each time we go there,” Chibasa said. “I like the fact that Tucson Clean & Beautiful gets to touch so many people by having them volunteer and clean the community.”
He said he enjoys motivating other people to give their time and energy to benefit their community.
“It’s amazing how different cultures come to America and want to help give back more than the Americans do,” Hickman said.
The University of Arizona Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society will also be receiving a community service award from Tucson Clean & Beautiful on May 6 at 5 p.m. in the northwest corner of Speedway Boulevard and Campbell Avenue.
Jerry Drake is an engineering management senior and president of Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.
“We want everyone in our club to participate at some point to get exposure to volunteering in the community,” Drake said.
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