An idea by Waukegan accountant Marty Wozniak to expand his recruitment of volunteers to remove debris scattered along the Amstutz Expressway grew into a community-wide, weeklong event that eventually became Earth Week five years ago and Earth Month in 2025.
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Wozniak is thrilled that an idea he hatched with Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, now draws hundreds of volunteers from a variety of churches, other not-for-profit groups and the general public. He credits the entire community.
“It’s great to think that we have had a positive and lasting impact on our community,” Wozniak said. “However, the continuing efforts are due to so many other people who have stepped up to expand our original effort.”
The city’s fifth-annual Earth Week begins with a cleanup effort from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday in downtown Waukegan, and continues through April 25, when hundreds of volunteers will remove trash from the lakefront, harbor, main thoroughfares and neighborhoods, giving the city a thorough spring cleaning.
As Wozniak and Florian first conceived the idea of a community-wide effort, they wanted to connect it to Earth Day, which is April 22 this year. Florian got an enthusiastic response when she told her colleagues about the idea during a City Council meeting.
“It’s amazing what started with a conversation I had with Marty (Wozniak),” Florian said. “We expanded on the idea. The community got involved with the idea of cleaning up the city and getting rid of the garbage.”
One of the council members suggested placing Dumpsters in each ward during the week for people to rid themselves of unwanted items. It was quickly incorporated as a weekday activity. Other council members suggested ways to recruit volunteers.
Mayor Sam Cunningham first got the idea to put Dumpsters in his ward approximately 15 years ago when he represented the 1st Ward. He labeled it “First Ward Operation Clean Sweeps.” During Earth Week, it is now a citywide event.
“The large-scale trash collections provide a vital service to every ward, ensuring residents across the city can properly dispose of household clutter accumulated over the winter,” Cunningham said. “These initiatives strengthen our shared commitment to sustainability and civic pride.”
A year ago, the city and Waukegan Park District partnered in early April to remove debris in the ravines along the Waukegan River between Grand Avenue and Washington Street. Earth Week became Earth Month with the event. Other sustainability happenings took place earlier this month.
Cunningham said Earth Week and Earth Month are more than a time when people volunteer to improve the look of their hometown. It instills pride in the residents’ feelings about the city. He promises a commitment from him and other city officials to continue the collaboration.
“This Earth Month, the city of Waukegan is redoubling efforts to rebuild our sense of pride. Beautification is a key part of that work,” Cunningham said. “From our neighborhoods to our downtown and lakefront, every effort to remove litter, plant flowers, and care for shared spaces helps shape the image of our city and strengthens the pride we feel in calling Waukegan home.”
Wozniak said Earth Week begins with a downtown cleanup between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday at Jack Benny Plaza in downtown Waukegan. Volunteers will start there and move along Genesee Street.
“Saturday night is Art Walk, and it’s a great way to have downtown look as good as possible,” he said.
Weekdays are devoted to Dumpster services starting Monday, with one at 202 South Genesee St. in the 1st Ward, and the intersection of Dugdale Road and Benny Avenue in the 2nd Ward. On Tuesday, they will be at 100 North Lewis Ave. in the 3rd Ward, and at the intersection of Water Street and Sheridan Road in the 4th Ward.
On Wednesday, residents can bring unwanted items to Dumpsters at Greenwood Avenue and Delaware Road in the 5th Ward, as well as the intersection of Hickory Street and Keith Avenue in the 6th Ward.
Dumpsters will be at 1815 North Sheridan Road in the 7th Ward, and 2255 West Yorkhouse Road in the 8th Ward on Wednesday. On Thursday, there will be a Dumpster in the 9th Ward at 2650 Belvidere Road on Friday.
Among items acceptable for Dumpsters are tires but not wheels, electronics, and “many other bulky items,” according to city officials. People cannot bring yard waste, liquids, tree trunks, concrete, brick, stone, rocks, hazardous waste, flammable materials, car parts, small engines, paint, stain, or railroad ties.
April 25 has a number of events scheduled, including cleanups along the Amstutz Expressway, the Waukegan Municipal Beach, the Waukegan Harbor & Marina and Christian Neighbors Church, where more than 300 volunteers fanned out to different parts of the city last year.
The Rev. Luke McFadden, pastor of Christian Neighbors Church, said people from 15 churches and other charitable organizations will gather at 9:30 a.m. that day outside the church’s new location at 1520 North McAree Road.
McFadden said everyone gets gloves to use and a T-shirt for several hours of collecting garbage and trash in different parts of Waukegan. He and others, including church administrator Sara Weibel, who is the primary organizer of the effort, have scouted the city for areas where they can help most.
“We look at spaces that are like fly paper and accumulate the most trash,” McFadden said. “Last year, we spent a lot of time on Belvidere Road. The wind blows a lot of trash around. We were able to make a noticeable difference there. Hundreds of people can do more than five or 10 weeks in and week out.”
Since the church has relocated from downtown Waukegan to the north side of the city, McFadden said some time will be spent in the local neighborhood making the area look better.
Among the groups joining Christian Neighbors, McFadden said, will be Journey Church, The Sign of the Dove and A Place Called Home in Waukegan, along with volunteers from not-for-profit organization Love INC.
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McFadden said members of churches from outside Waukegan will be there too, including Christ Church of Lake Forest, CrossLife Evangelical Free Church of Libertyville and Center Church in Libertyville.
Volunteers will gather between 9 and 11 a.m. on April 25 at 535 South Sheridan Road to remove trash from the Amstutz Expressway. Wozniak said people should wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants and closed-toe shoes. They will be given two bags.
“We provide two types of bags — orange for landfill garbage and green for items which can be recycled,” Wozniak said. “Participants are always amazed at the volume of alcoholic beverage containers that are on the roadside.”
The annual beach cleanup takes place from 10 a.m. to noon on April 25 at the Waukegan Municipal Beach.
Volunteers will also gather between 8 and 10 a.m. on April 25 at the Waukegan Harbor & Marina. Robbie Kutzler, the director of marketing and special events for the harbor and marina, said gloves and bags will be provided along with coffee, water, hot chocolate and snacks.
“We all use the lake a lot, and need to keep it clean,” Kutzler said. “Mother Nature provides for us, so we need to clean for her.”
During the week, Cunningham encourages residents to take advantage of the Dumpsters in their area — if another ward is more convenient, they can go there — and volunteer at the cleanup Saturday and the multiple events on April 25.
“I encourage residents and community groups to step up and volunteer to make this month a time of collective action and community pride,” Cunningham said. “When we volunteer to beautify Waukegan, we are working together to rebuild Waukegan.”