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YourHub.com \\ The Valley \\ Stories \\ Environment \\ Cleanups

Volunteers target Van Nuys Blvd. for cleanup

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Contributed by: Paul Sanders on 1/19/2008

Following a year-end holiday break, community volunteers will resume beautification and cleanup efforts from 9 - 11 a.m.on Saturday, Feb. 2.

This pre-super bowl community cleanup event, the first of 2008 and the eighth to date, sponsored by the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Beautification Committee (SOBC) since its inception in 2005, will target Van Nuys Blvd., between Ventura Blvd. and Riverside Drive, and Moorpark St., between Vista del Monte Ave. and Beverly Glen Blvd.

The two-hour cleanup project will start at 9 a.m., following registration and refreshments donated by Coffee Roaster, Western Bagel, and Trader Joe's Sherman Oaks.

According to SOBC's Co-chair Leslie Elkan, volunteers will meet at the Gelson's Market Parking Lot located at the corner of Van Nuys Blvd. and Moorpark St., in the parking area against the new Best Buy Sherman Oaks structure.

Elkan explained that the program is co-sponsored and supported by the City of Los Angeles Office of Community Beautifications, the Councilmanic District Offices of Jack Weiss and Wendy Gruel, Sherman Oaks Hospital, Western Bagel at Coldwater Canyon Blvd, the Coffee Roaster in Sherman Oaks, TARGET in Van Nuys, Gelson's Market Sherman Oaks, Best Buy Sherman Oaks, the Sherman Oaks Rotary Club Sunset, and Trader Joe's in Sherman Oaks.

She indicated that following signups, participating volunteers will be broken down into smaller groups led by designated team leaders who are veterans of past cleanup campaigns.

Each team will proceed to specific areas along the selected routes, and then engage in sweeping sidewalks and gutters, picking up trash, pulling weeds, and painting out graffiti.

Tools, and bags, will be provided and walk-ins, including members of the business community along the routes, are encouraged to join in, said Elkan.

City of Los Angeles Dumpster trucks will pick up bulky items and bags of trash left behind by volunteers.

A major objective of SOBC, according to Elkan, is to "achieve a visible difference in the aesthetics of the areas where we work that day. We hope to inspire residents and area businesses to maintain that higher level, and encourage participation in future events throughout the community."

Elkan explained that SOBC's goal is to "help enhance quality of life through projects designed to make our community an attractive place in which to live and work."

Elkan encouraged participation by families, friends, and co-workers from the neighborhood.

"This is much more than just a cleanup event," said Elkan. "It's also good exercise for the entire family, and a way to instill a sense of community responsibility to our younger participants. It is also an opportunity to get acquainted with areas of the community that one may not be aware of when seen from moving vehicles."

For additional information about this, or future projects, contact Elkan at leslie_elkan@yahoo.comor call 818-326-0273 or contact Paul Sanders at 818-788-0717 or at p_sanders@prodigy.net.

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