‘Every Day is Earth Day’ cleanup planned

A group of local friends have organized an event to help clean up the area around a mural on Franklin Street in downtown Torrington. “Every Day is Earth Day” will take place on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. The group will meet at Good Company Coffee House at 33 Franklin Street in Torrington.

The event originated when the groups’ organizer, Rana Rylander Strawson overheard two people admiring the mural on Franklin Street near the coffee shop, but were discouraged by the amount of trash at the bottom of the colorful artwork. Rylander-Strawson is an avid gardener and nature lover decided to take matters into her own hands to help clean up this section of downtown Torrington.

After speaking with Torrington officials, Rylander-Strawson got approval for the cleanup event and organized the grassroots effort through her Facebook page.

Those who plan on attending are encouraged to take precautions to protect themselves from the dangers of cleaning up trash. Proper attire, gloves and water are a must. Trash bags will be provided, but volunteers may bring their own.

“I am truly overwhelmed and proud of the response this event has gotten so far,” Rylander-Strawson said in a written statement. “This is not a state or town funded event. This is just a group of local citizens wanting to get a group of people together to help out our community. Torrington is a beautiful city, but it’s up to us to keep it that way. I want to thank those who are volunteering for this event and look forward to seeing everyone on Aug. 18.”