TIME TO CLEAN UP

We urge everyone to participate, whether it be by simply cleaning up a yard and taking advantage of free hauling of trash that the city normally charges extra to pick up or by getting out with other volunteers to pick up litter, pull weeds, or plant flowers or shrubs.

Saturday at 9 a.m., hundreds of people, including representatives of businesses and civic groups, will gather in Capaha Park to attack litter and weeds throughout the parks during the 11th annual Friends of the Park Day. The event usually attracts 400 to 500 people. A thousand participants or more this year would be impressive.

The city's Public Works Department will be busy next week assuring that trash is picked up in timely fashion. Cleanup week and the annual curbside leaves collection in the fall is proof that city government places beautification high on its list of priorities.

Vision 2000, the volunteer group dedicated to a quality life in Cape Girardeau, will be placing signs across the city next week to remind residents to pitch in and think about ways to improve their surroundings. Innovation goes a long way toward beautification. Neighborhoods could get together to clean up common grounds and streets, plant flowers, shrubs or trees, paint what needs to be painted, and even lay out a yearlong neighborhood beautification plan. With such a concerted effort, it wouldn't take long for noticeable improvements across the city.

Warm weather has been a long time coming, but spring has finally arrived. The welcomed warmth and an extra hour of daylight lend to the cleanup work, and a citywide effort will add to the fresh face Cape Girardeau is about to take on with the burst of spring.