Lawton’s Trash Off scheduled for Saturday

You can complain about the way the community looks, or do something about it.

The City of Lawton and the Lawton Enhancement Trust Authority are giving residents a chance to step up and make a difference Saturday during the annual Trash Off. The event will provide residents with a chance to pick up debris from high profile areas of the city, or clean up debris closer to home by disposing of items that will not fit into their polycarts.

The parking lot of McMahon Auditorium, 801 NW Ferris, will be the staging area for both activities, which are planned from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting. Neighborhood Services Supervisor Jonathan Jernigan said City of Lawton officials are exploring alternatives in case Saturday is a heavy rain day, but are proceeding with plans to hold the event.

The neighborhood services division is accepting volunteers to help with the citywide cleanup campaign.

“As many as I can get,” Jernigan said, adding he has about 176 volunteers ready to work Saturday.

Volunteer groups will be provided trash bags and gloves to help in the cleanup; they also will receive free T-shirts and a free lunch, Jernigan said. Volunteers may ask for specific sites they want to clean, or city officials will assign destinations. Jernigan said those sites are across the city, and he targets sites based on the composition of work groups (for example, Jernigan said he wants to keep groups with small children away from high traffic areas, so they would be assigned to parks). In addition to parks, there are other areas of high visibility that need help: Jernigan cited South 11 Street, Rogers Lane and Southwest/Northwest 38th Street.

Volunteers may sign up in advance by calling neighborhood services at 581-3467, or emailing [email protected]. Volunteers also may sign up the day of the event, at the sign-up area at the McMahon Auditorium parking lot. Supplies will be handed out at that site, he said.

The parking lot will hold the drop-off site for those who want to dispose of bulk debris from their households. Signs and volunteers will direct those residents to the proper disposal bins, with traffic allowed to enter the area from Cache Road, or via Northwest 6th Street and Northwest Ferris Avenue. There is no charge for residents, but participants must provide a valid ID with a Lawton address or a City of Lawton utility bill. Residents with active military ID will be able to dispose of bulk debris at no cost. Non-residents will be assessed a $25 fee in cash, or a check donation made to Lawton Enhancement Trust Authority.

Items that will be accepted include used oil, auto batteries, tires (no larger than truck size, without rims), scrap metal, vacuum cleaners, fluorescent bulbs, appliances, reusable furniture, fire extinguishers, rechargeable batteries, latex and oil-based paint, alkaline batteries, and craft and hobby supplies. Special vendors also will take pharmaceuticals. Specific items will not be accepted: lab waste, ammunition, explosives, compressed gas cylinders, commercial waste, tractor tires, tires mounted on rims or hazardous materials.

Additional information is available by contacting neighborhood services, 581-3467.