Get ready for The Annual Great American Cleanup.
There is still a lot of snow on the ground right now but . . . it will soon be gone. Once it is gone all the trash and litter that has been buried under the snow will show it ugly head.We are asking you to volunteer with your friends and neighbors in helping to spruce up the City!
Note: I will once again be coordinating the Great American cleanup for the City of Utica. I am asking that you register with me. – Register by sending an email to gallen@cityofutica.com and to register with Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful KMVB (mvedd.org)
We can supply you with bags, gloves and a limited amount of other equipment. I will coordinate with DPW/Parks to remove the trash and litter you collect.
Something NEW this Year!
You can qualify to win a prize valued at $100 . . .
By participating in the Keep Mohawk Valley Community Index survey! The survey is designed to help you visually assess and determine the state of the community appearance in regard to litter and other appearance indicators. Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful may use the results to set goals and to develop effective community improvement education programs and projects.
How to participate:
Choose an area or “district” (ex. school district, route or highway, city/townships, taxing district) to conduct a windshield survey (conducted while driving) with your team. You will randomly select up to 10 different sites within your area or district that have different uses: industrial, retail, park, school, library, or residential. Sites should represent both “clean” and “dirty” sections of your district. Each site should be between ½ mile – 1 mile in length. (See the attached fillable PDF survey form for more information.)
Background
Great American Cleanup – City Wide – City of Utica
Traditionally we have set aside the months of April and May in coordination with Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful to conduct major neighborhood cleanups in the City of Utica.
If you will be participating again this year, I am reaching out to see when you might be conducting your event. If you have not participated in the past, we are always looking for more groups and individuals to join us.
In the City of Utica, we will be Kicking off on Saturday, April 18, 2026 to coincide with Earth Day.
We anticipate the majority of cleanup events will take place on the weekend of April 18 – 19 and April 25 – 26.
If these dates are not conducive to you or your group, we are willing to work with you for whichever date you choose. The city will work with you at any time of the year
Please Note:
The Great American City Wide Cleanup for Utica is NOT a time for you to clean out your basement and garage and put stuff out to the curb. Items of that nature can be put out on your regular garbage night.
The Great American City Wide Cleanup IS designed as a way to pick up trash, litter, a green waste exposed after the snow has finally melted.
We will have individuals and groups cleaning along streets and roadways, in City parks and playgrounds.
As always we will supply gloves and bags for groups working in the City of Utica.
We will also coordinate pickup for the trash you collect.
What I need from you:
Prior to the cleanup
- Time
- Date
- Location
- Number of Volunteers anticipated
- List of supplies needed
After the Cleanup
- Number of volunteers participating
- Number of bags of trash collected
- Location of bags collected
- Pictures of volunteers working*
*I try to go around the city taking photos but sometimes I miss people
I will be sending you more information as we get closer to the event.
Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Thank you for your continuing support of the City of Utica.
