The winds abated enough Saturday morning to allow for a pleasant cleanup session in the neighborhood. Hodgin neighbors turned out to pick up litter along the streets and in and along the arroyo, trimming weeds and removing ill placed trees among the arroyo bridges.

This spring the city’s Keep Albuquerque Beautiful Office invited neighborhood associations to coordinate with them and sign up for one of two designated April cleanup days. The HNA Beautification Committee chose April 11th. Other neighborhoods, like McKinley neighborhood, chose the April 25th cleanup day. Such city-wide efforts are organized by the City’s Solid Waste Department twice a year.

Our effort caught the attention of KRQE. Their news article Albuquerque community gathers to cleanup city for Earth Month featured HNA Vice President Sara Collins, who said:

“Get involved. We can’t do this work without you. I’m just a person who lives in this neighborhood and wants to see it be better, and everyone else out here today is doing the same. So, know that you can make a difference, and show up and help out.”

We expect to participate in the next clean up in the fall, which is usually scheduled just before Balloon Fiesta, so stay tuned for the announcement of that date. But since litter and debris accumulate all year long, the HNA Beautification Committee is looking for more regular efforts to keep Hodgin looking good. 

Thank you to all who came out, made new acquaintances and, helped the community. If you are interested in keeping informed of, and participating in such efforts, please join us by signing up as an HNA member. The membership signup page also allows you to sign up for the HNA newsletter.