Oxfam Action Corps-Minnesota volunteers responded to the May 22nd tornado that tore through North Minneapolis by participating in the Clean Sweep organized by the City of Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Relations Department. Equipped with plastic protective eye wear and work gloves OAC-MN volunteers filled a garbage truck with large water-logged mattresses, chairs, and carpet, fencing, wires, and other large items. Check out photos from last week's Clean Sweep effort.
David, the garbage truck driver and waste expert, directed the volunteers what could and could not be junked. Given the utter destruction wrought by the tornado this task was more difficult than one might have expected. Piles were seldom neat and tidy. More often debris and waste were all mixed up, upping the challenge level of garbage collection. Some situations were so tricky that calls to the foreman had to be made. David's knowledge of and experience in waste management are impressive, and not something that any of the OAC-MN volunteers possess.
After a four-hour shift trailing behind or riding on the back of the garbage truck, the mattresses and other waste started pushing its way back out of the truck. Enormous hydraulics compressed the garbage such that we were amazed as much junk fit into the truck as we put into it. Still, there remains much work to be done to clean up North Minneapolis after the tornado.
Luckily there are more opportunities to help out! This Saturday, June 25th there will be a second Clean Sweep. Come at 8:00am-12:00pm or from 12:00pm to 4:00pm to lend a hand and have some fun.
Call 612-673-2243 for more details or to sign up.
