Operation Clean Sweep Week 26 Recap

To all Northridge Stakeholders:

I want to thank all the volunteers that came out Saturday in support of Operation Clean Sweep along Devonshire, Tampa and Tunney Avenues. Saturday’s operations laid the foundation for the Grand Kickoff Cleanup Sweep Operation scheduled for next Saturday (1/15/11) where Councilman Smith and Hope Worldwide will be joining our efforts to clean up the graffiti, trash, and debris plugging up our storm drains, gutters, sidewalks and parkways along Tunney, Tampa, Devonshire streets in an effort to improve Northridge.

Yesterday’s efforts seen Mr. & Mrs. Paul Bunion (Ron/Marlene Wengler), Northridge Rocks (Teri Grossman), Joey (Joe Oswald), Energizer Bunny (Sumeko Mukasa), the Johnson Sisters BSpice & Sammy J taking on lumbering sections of dead and over hanging tree branches along Tampa where some of the branches fought back just about taking Paul off his feet. While on the corner of Tampa & Devonshire the plugged up storm drain and weed infested corner lot took its toll on the strength and perseverance of our Engineer Ski, Ex Pres (Dennis De Young), Robert the Bull Wilson, Newcomer’s (Sue Mattison & Stacy McKinley), and Freddie Mack (Freddie Rymond). The actions along Tunney were tackled by Mr. Clean (Robert Graf), Back draft Fighter Gerry Malais, CD 12 Candidate Navrai Singh, Incredible Hulk Craig Machayluk, Martha & Glen Wilson where they were busy clipping shooters, brushing off graffiti and pulling weeds. In rounding out the effort along Devonshire Street and an inspiration to all our young stakeholders of Northridge were our youngest members Brandon, Laney, Shane, Spencer lead by Chris & Allen Williams.

With the help of these volunteers and that of our newcomers who are stepping up and joining Operation Clean Sweep we are making our best attempt to meet the challenge to stem the tide and push back the blighted streets of this great city. These volunteers are demonstrating that giving back to your community can be fun, helps build and develop new and existing friendships and pulls a community together to achieve a shared goal of having a cleaner, greener and safer community where we can live, work, learn and play.

I would also like to thank Joann Phillips, Teri Grossman, Ron & Marlene Wengler Ski, Martha, Robert, Glen Wilson, Sumeko Mukasa for their hard work and commitment in cleaning up Devonshire Street between Vanalden to Tampa on Thursday mornings. The efforts of Jamie and Sherry Ramstead for all their efforts to clean up the east side of Wilbur Street between Nordhoff and Plummer. These combined acts of community participation are examples of what can be done to preserve and improve a community one block at a time.

See how volunteering can improve your community and expand your friendship within the neighborhood by joining us on any given Saturday. Visit our web site NorthridgeWest.org for all upcoming events. Thank you

Tom Johnson
President
Northridge West Neighborhood Council

PS: See attached flyer for next Saturday’s (January 15, 2011) Grand Kick off Clean Sweep Event. Pick your team and get into the game – every player is welcomed to join the game