Phillips Neighborhoods Unite for "CleanSweep"

More than 30 volunteers from Resource Recovery Center took part.

All smiles at 27th and Bloomington.

Children's Hospital, Abbott Northwestern Medical Center and Ryan Companies sent their executives into the streets.

Two volunteers from Wells Fargo at 4th Avenue near Lake Street .

Mike Chirstenson, head of community planning for Minneapolis, right, with his son, William.

Four city trash trucks accompanied the crews of volunteers.

When the work was done, community members gathered at a lunchtime rally at Stewart Park.

More than 300 volunteers warmed up a very chilly morning by participating in the Phillips Community "CleanSweep" October 2.

Fanning out from Park and Bloomington Avenues, they picked up street and residential trash throughout Phillips West, Midtown, East Phillips and Ventura Village. It was the first time that the four Phillips neighborhoods have united for a community event.

Muriel Simmons, chair of the Phillips West  Neighborhood Organization, said, “We had an amazing turnout and we showed through action what this community can do by uniting.”

The CleanSweep, planned as the first in a series of anti-crime, quality-of-life events in Phillips, was sponsored by the Phillips Partnership and Phillips Weed & Seed.

The organizers would like to thank all those who participated:

2004 Phillips Community CleanSweep sponsors and participating groups

Andersen Resource Center
CCP/SAFE
Chicago Lake Business Association
Chicago Lake Liquors
City of Minneapolis/Community Planning and Economic Development
City of Minneapolis/Sanitation Department
East Phillips Improvement Coalition
Edna Realty
Fourth and Lake Business Association
Franklin Avenue Safety Center
Hennepin County
Hiawatha Lake Business Association
La Guayajuil Restaurant
Lake Street Council
MAD DADS
Manny's Tortas
Midtown Phillips Neighborhood Organization
Midtown Restorative Justice
Mount Olive Neighborhood Ministries
Project for Pride in Living
Resource Recovery Center
Sentence to Service
South Area Family Resource Center
Thomson Dougherty Funeral Home
Ventura Village Neighborhood Organization
Welna Hardware
West Phillips Neighborhood Organization