Volunteers clean up their act
As published in the August 25, 2011 edition of the Keene Sentinel, and online.
An assortment of young people took to Keene's Central Square with brooms, rakes and a bucket of soapy water Wednesday afternoon in an effort to help clean up their image.
Daisy Royea, 26, who is homeless, was the ringleader of the crew of more than a dozen people ranging in age from 14 to 37.
"We want people to know we're not hooligans and we're not hoodlums," she explained.
"It's Operation Clean Up the Square," offered Sean Shelly, also 26 and homeless, as he wielded a broom across the concrete path around the bubbling fountain.
Kimberly Bain and Shauna Myers, both 17, of Keene joined Michael Pourassa, 37, homeless, in scrubbing graffiti and accumulated dirt from the bandstand.
"These are good kids," Pourassa said. "I wanted to help them out."
Other members of the group picked up litter and raked over the mulch in the plant beds.
The seed of the cleanup idea was planted during an after-hours conversation with a police officer stationed downtown, according to Royea.
The officer had pointed to the litter-strewn ground as an example of the ways in which the young people's behavior was intimidating and upsetting other residents, she said.
"They want this place to be clean for the families," said Robert Davis, 21, of Keene.
For much of the summer the square has served as a social hub for local youth, some of whom spend entire days there -- eating, playing Hacky Sack and taking shelter in the bandstand during rain.
Keene police Sgt. Christopher L. Simonds said the police had not officially initiated the effort, but he approved of the idea that the people responsible for the mess would clean it up.
A number of the volunteer cleaners pointed out that the trash can in the square was full, and suggested that it could be emptied more frequently.
One trash bag held approximately a gallon of cigarette butts, which Bain said they planned to present to City Manager John A. MacLean as evidence that the square would benefit from an ashtray.
Royea said she and her friends were not solely to blame for the accumulated mess.
"Half of the city of Keene walks through here every day and flicks their cigarette butts," she said.
MacLean said late Wednesday afternoon that he had just learned of the cleanup effort from other city officials, who had witnessed the activity firsthand.
"I haven't looked out the building or walked across the street yet, but it sounds wonderful," he said.
He added that he had heard the young people wanted to talk to him and that he welcomed the conversation.
The cleaning was intended to send a message, but Royea said she found it had other rewards.
"People are driving by and saying it looks great," she said. "It's a good feeling."
tagged with: homelessness, Keene's Central Square, public space
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