>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

MUSCLING FOR A GOOD CAUSE: This year’s Cove Clean-Up Day processed 10 dump-trucks’ worth of scrap metal, over 16 tons of solid waste, 240 tires, 38 batteries and three vehicles. That meant a lot of hard work for a squadron of volunteers who helped at the dump-sites, made home pick-ups and cleared litter from the streets. Photo/CAROL RAPHAEL

The 10th-annual Cove Clean-Up Day enjoyed decent weather — quite a feat, considering this spring — and a tireless, upbeat crew, as the town was turned upside down and shaken several times to get rid of junk.

“It was a huge success in the sense that we had a significant volunteer turnout that made our jobs easier,” said Regina Kruse, a member of the Cove Clean-Up Day Committee.

Clean-Up Day gives Cove residents an opportunity to dispose of particular types of materials safely and conveniently. The operations center around machinery and receptacles at City Hall, while a burn site off Conley Road accepts unpainted and unstained wood.

The dedicated helpers also make home pick-ups and clear litter from neighborhood streets.

According to Kruse, Saturday’s operations saw 10 dump-truck loads of scrap metal, more than 16 tons of solid waste (that’s 12 dump-truck loads), 240 tires, 38 batteries and three vehicles disposed of.

Despite the hard work, Kruse said spirits remained upbeat.

“I was touched to see the people who were out there volunteering really enjoyed themselves,” she said.

For the second year in a row, a yard sale, also put on by the Clean-Up Day committee, preceded the big event for a week. People donated items they thought might have value to others; all the profits went toward Clean-Up Day itself.

Goods left over from the yard sale were offered to the Cove Preschool for its own fundraiser, held the same Saturday.

Kruse hopes the consistent success of Cove Clean-Up Day might convince other local communities to try their hands at a similar event.

She said the Clean-Up Day Committee was willing to share advice with anyone interested.

The committee expressed its gratitude to the many sponsors of Clean-Up Day who lent financial support, equipment use and/or operators: the City of Cove, the Union County Commissioners, the Cove Community Association, SOLV, Royal Rock, Becker Construction, E & K Excavating, Riley Excavation, Martin’s General Construction, Wal-Mart, Dollar’s Corner, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, the Cove Improvement Club, Artesian Blue Water, the Ascension School, Les Schwab Tire Center, Island City Auto Salvage, ODOT, Bob Girdner, Bob & Denise Sheasly, Sonny Johnson and more than 68 volunteers who helped out with organization and at the site.

Additionally, the committee thanks the Cove Cherry Growers Association and everyone who worked on and donated items to the yard sale, which raised enough money to cover all the remaining costs of Clean-Up Day.

This year’s Clean-Up Day Committee consisted of Kelly Anderson, Doug and Regina Kruse, Donna Lewis, Jim Raphael, Donna Skovlin and Judy Wanichek.