GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The sun is out and spring is here — for Annette Vandenberg, that means it's time to get to work.
As executive director of the West Grand Neighborhood Organization, Vandenberg looks forward to the Community Cleanup every year. It's an event that has spiritual meaning to her.
"I believe in a creator that created this whole Earth for us, and I believe that he wanted us to be good stewards and that our purpose was to take care of the planet and to take care of one another. And so that, to me, is what this event is really doing," she said.
The cleanup started in 2009 on the west side of the city and Vandenberg got involved in 2016.
The event grew year after year, bringing hundreds of volunteers together for the same purpose. This year, there will be 17 districts in all corners of the city involved.
Vandenberg said the cleanup not only helps the city look its best, but it helps improve community health as well.
"We have so many watersheds in this area, and it's really important to take care of our Grand River. I don't know if most people know this or not, but that flows out to Lake Michigan, and all of our water is pumped from Lake Michigan that we drink. So the cleaner our water is, the better it is for all of us," she said.
Check-in will happen at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20 at each of the "launch pads." The cleanup itself starts at 9:15 a.m.
After the cleanup, there will be a volunteer block party at John Ball Zoo from noon to 3 p.m.
The block party will include free meals for volunteers along with a drink ticket for adults and activities for people of all ages. There will also be a free bus ride to and from the zoo.
"There's just so many benefits to it, and we're just so excited to be part of it. I'm just very honored to be able to have a team that we're all lifting this up together, not just one person," Vandenberg said.
If you'd like to register to be a volunteer, visit the event website.
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