Scouts among volunteers keeping Concord streets clean

Under threatening skies, 17 members of Boy Scout Troop 317 braved the elements on March 9 to pick up litter as part of Concord’s popular Adopt-A-Street program.

Wearing yellow vests and holding metal trash pickers and 32-gallon black plastic bags, they slowly walked along a half-mile stretch of Clayton Road near Kings Valley Christian School.

Concord established the program in 2013, modeling it after Caltrans’ long-established and successful Adopt-A-Highway program. Concord and other cities, including San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Clara, and Hayward, have launched Adopt-A-Street programs to draw businesses, non-profit groups and religious organizations to improve and maintain the cleanliness and appearance of their urban environments.

Fourteen volunteer groups currently participate in the city’s anti-litter program, and the city needs more participants. In addition to Troop 317, other groups are St. Agnes Catholic Church, Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise Rotary, Boy Scout Troop 364, Ruiz Construction, Operation Clean Streets, Crossroad Covenant Church, Father’s House, Phoenix Enterprises Group, Diablo Valley Mustang Association, Concord Ambassadors, the Pinza Group, Rainbow Community Center and Bethel Baptist Church.

Two applicants are pending approval to join the program, said Jessica Mislong, a Concord code enforcement officer. Mislong could not identify the groups because they were undergoing screening.

The city has targeted 21 locations, most along Willow Pass Road, for organizations to sign up to pick up litter. The street assignments vary in length from 0.5 miles to 0.8 miles.

The volunteer groups make a two-year commitment to clean up an assigned street at least four times a year. The organizations have the option to renew for an additional two-year term.

To recognize the participants, the city installs Adopt-A-Street logo signs.

“The sign means a lot to the Scouts. It gives us public recognition,” said Dave Paulson, Troop 317 assistant Scout master.

“The biggest part of scouting is helping the community, putting in so many hours of community service. This program delivers that,” he added.

Troop 317’s sign is posted prominently along Clayton Road near Kings Valley Christian School, where the troop frequently meets and heads out for Adopt-A-Street collections.

By the end of last month’s half-mile collection run, the Scouts had filled eight bags with litter from along both sides of Clayton Road.

“I am participating in the program because I feel like I am helping the community,” said Seth Ceronin, a Troop 317 member since 2014.

“This program teaches Scouts the importance of community service,” said 317 committee chair Gen Vivo. “It teaches Scouts about leaving no trace, community responsibility, ownership and working together as a team.”

Concord Mayor Carlyn Obringer is a huge supporter of the Adopt-A-Street program. “Northing builds a sense of community like working together to improve your own neighborhood,” said the mayor. “I am such a big fan and booster of neighborhood cleanups because I want to do all I can to instill in Concordians a feeling of civic pride in the places where they live and play. By volunteering to beautify streets and sidewalks, you’re not only helping to maintain property values in your neighborhood, you’ll feel good doing it – and make new friends in the process, too.”

For more about the Adopt-A-Street Program, call 925-671-3071.