The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Main Street group purposes to clean downtown
Sweeps invite volunteers to lend energy, heart for city
Main Street Lorain is encouraging residents to participate in city clean up efforts.
The organization hosts a “Big Sweep” and “Mini Sweep” clean-up program that targets different high traffic areas in Downtown Lorain.
“We believe that in order to attract Lorainites and visitors to our Historic Downtown, there must be regular maintenance and upkeep, which will keep the downtown area attractive and inviting to all,” said the organization in a statement on their website.
Christopher Cocco, Vice President of Main Street Lorain, says the mini sweeps accomplish a two-part goal of impacting the city.
“We want to make Lorain as inviting and clean downtown as possible,” he said. “We also want to encourage citizens to take ownership and pride in the areas as well.”
The first Mini Sweep was held in April and has continued on the third Saturday of each month.
Cocco says it’s been a great turnout.
“I think for the first year, it worked really well,” he said. “We’re going to rethink and continue to do Mini Sweeps. We have people working together in community building relationships and hopefully inspiring them to really care about downtown.”
Cocco says he encourages
“The underlying principle is exactly what we need: To be able to come and work together on any issue is a critical part of a thriving society.”
— Brandon J. Wysocki, local community advocate
residents to take charge and beautify the city in their own time.
“For people to come out and volunteer their time on the weekend, we couldn’t be more appreciative and grateful for that,” he said.
Cocco says he would like to get the youth involved as well.
“We want to get the young people engaged,” Cocco said. “I think having those experiences where they participate and learn to care about the community at a young age will impact
them as they become adults living in Lorain.”
Local community advocate Brandon J. Wysocki has been a participant in multiple clean-up efforts around Lorain.
He says he hopes that by lending a helping hand to keep the city beautiful and to see Lorain continue to flourish.
“The underlying principle is exactly what we need:
To be able to come and work together on any issue is a critical part of a thriving society,” Wysocki said.
Wysocki’s daughter, Arianna, 12, has attended clean-up events around the city.
She says she believes it’s important, as a young person, to volunteer and help change the tide.
“It helps the community a lot,” she said. “It’s something I can do to help improve the community and maybe even influence people to be better and take care of the spaces around them.”
As the weather transitions, Cocco says there will be a final fall Mini Sweep on Oct. 16.