Waukegan firefighters, several coming off of a 24-hour shift, spent a brisk gray Saturday morning cleaning up the ravine and grasslands of the city’s Washington Park.
Since 2010, Waukegan’s Firefighters Local 473 has made an Earth Day project of cleaning the park, where the steep ravine often serves as a natural collection area for garbage, whether windblown or deliberately dumped by those unconcerned about nature and aesthetics.
“We do a lot of philanthropic projects throughout the year and we like to do this in honor of Earth Day,” said Mark Kolar, president the union, as he patrolled the grounds with other firefighters and their families. “The ravine is like a collection basin when the wind blows. We like to make it look nice again. It’s actually a nice nature area.”
The wind certainly didn’t blow in the heaviest item found in the ravine Saturday morning — an empty security safe. Refrigerator parts, glass and plastic bottles and plenty of litter also helped fill up the garbage collection bags.
Though it was cold, wet and muddy, even the kids involved said they enjoyed the event.
“I love it,” said 9-year-old Tyler Christensen, who added he felt good about doing something for Earth Day.
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His 18-year-old sister, Kaitlynn, was less enthralled with the project, but said it has to be done.
“It’s disgusting,” she said of the amount of trash left by people in the park.
It also can be dangerous, and younger participants are told to be wary of what they touch.
“Two years ago, the first thing my my son found was a bunch of heroin needles,” said firefighter Jacob Mount.
Capt. Tom Christensen said many of the participants Saturday had just finished a 24-hour-shift and were running on coffee.
“The big thing is giving back to the city that has provided us with jobs,” Christensen said. “Every one of these guys cares about the city. They put their lives on the line and their families at risk. They truly care.”
“This is just one of the activities we do to help the community,” Kolar said.
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