Lessons In Community Pride: Most Successful City Cleanup Ever in Alamogordo

Lessons In Community Pride: Most Successful City Cleanup Ever in AlamogordoPhoto by2nd Life Media

The city of Alamogordo is a small town community like many around the country that can become enbro in divisions along political lines, that can result in stagnation and ultimately a lack of community pride. Within the small city of Alamogordo, New Mexico, a town that would not exist economically without the military presence, a leader exists that builds consensus and champions those issues that build community pride. The passion and determination of beautification and cleanup of a small inner city district has expanded into a passionate community wide effort annually, that builds community pride and is an example to leaders and small towns across America.

The Alamogordo Citywide Cleanup 2024 had significant hype and outreach this year and was a raging success with multiple huge commercial size dumpsters filled with garbage, debris and trash from around the city.

Coordinating Chairwoman of this annual event was District 5 Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem; Sharon McDonald. Mrs. McDonald made outreach her priority this year. She personally passed out thousands of flyers, walking the neighborhoods from the Walker road areas to the innercity to envangelize community pride, unity and cleanup. She walked escorted by volunteers into some areas of the city that is very hostile to government leaders and some of those citizens live on the fringe.

And walk, inform and take charge is what Mrs. McDonald did with dignity and respect. Those that have said Mrs. McDonald is quiet and unassuming in meetings have never worked beside her on the ground in an effort she is passionate about.

The cleanup of derelict houses and those of the elderly, at risk populations, the poor and lower middle class, disabled and disadvantaged has always had her as an ally. She has championed her district cleanup for several years, and this year extended an invitation to all commissioners to participate. She had 3 takers in: Warren Robinson, Nick Paul and Mark Tapley.

In addition to hosting dumpster sites, shredding services for documents and more, Mrs McDonalds team captain, the day of cleanup, matches volunteers with homeowners or renters that have properties that need a helping hand in cleanup. A board full of property owners asked for help across the city.

Saturday morning at 7 am till noon over 60 volunteers braved the heat, from diverse communities and political parties putting differences aside and marched, worked, mowed, weed whacked, and picked up literally tons of trash and together were united in community cleanup.

Volunteers even assisted homes in the 2 commission districts who's commissioners did not participate putting politics aside for the good of the community.

There were 5 dumping locations manned by 4 commissioners and volunteers that gathered tons of refuse.

The hub for the day was the Dudley School Community Center. In addition to volunteers cleaning up around the city, community volunteers from Holloman Air Force Base and locals also continued work on the Dudley Building rehabilitation with painting, hanging bead board, cleaning windows, repairing walls and more.

Across the street community volunteers from With Many Hands Alamogordo hosted community gardening tips and continued their efforts to rehab a once shaby street corner with a bountiful community garden.

With Many Hands Alamogordo maintained community gardensPhoto by2nd Life Media

Volunteers came in all age groups from high school and college aged to several seniors. Fred Sepulveda, age 80 began work wthin the Dudley School at 7 am, then transitioned to weed wack and rack two homes: one in the Walker Road area and one in the city center.

Volunteers from several inner city churchesfrom District 5 such as Corinth, Holy Temple Church of God and others located in the heart of District 5 were there, members of the military and many every day citizens. Truck loads of items needing dumping and carloads from folks not registered as volunteers also were on site.

The event impacted hundreds of citizens and many households with the largest number number of participants and dumpsters ever filled.

Dumpsters full of trash and debris gatheredPhoto by2nd Life Media

Trash from around the city gatheredPhoto by2nd Life Media

City Manager Rick Holden was onhand and engaged wirh citizens, staff and commissioners. Several staff members of the city of Alamogordo code enforcement helped and other staff members. There were even members of the county auditors office on the ground volunteering and pucking up trash and helping neighbors with cleanup.

Bob Flotte owner of KHIIradio.com was on hand with live broadcasting and interviews as was our team from KALHradio.org and AlamogordoTownNews.org getting down and dirty with volunteering and trash removal.

This event was a true reflection of a diverse group of volunteers that were championing beautification, cleanup snd community pride. Afterwards Kenneth and Mary Lou Woods hosted a Cleanup After Party Luncheon for a slew of volunteers with wonderful food and beverages.

Congratulations to all the volunteers, participants, city staff and working commissioners for making this cleanup event a huge success. And in these times of division politically at the national level and a presidential election that continues to turn off voters it is imperative that we recognize local leaders such as Sharon McDonald who is making a real and positive impact daily on the lives of citizens by her actions on the ground, getting her hands dirty and building on what we can do togther in unity and pride.

Volunteers at the Dudley School Community Center rehabilitating a formerly neglected buildingPhoto by2nd Life Media

Volunteers at the Dudley School Community Center rehabilitating a formerly neglected buildingPhoto by2nd Life Media