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Rims clean after annual trash pickup

Posted at 12:59 PM, Oct 21, 2018
and last updated 2019-07-17 14:51:21-04

BILLINGS – An annual cleanup which started with volunteers finding anything from furniture to appliances, now has turned into finding smaller trash.

Nearly 190 people came out for the sixth annual Refresh the Rims at Swords Park on Saturday.

Volunteers still find a few of the bigger items, but for the most part, the rims are cleaner, according to Chris Waite, Billings Parks and Recreation volunteer coordinator.

The cleanup started near Applebees and stretched over to the red and white water tower and below the rims.

It’s a combined project for the city of Billings Parks and Recreation Department and the MSU Billings Outdoor program.

Students who are involved in the outdoor program were group leaders today.

“It’s very similar to what they’re going to be doing in their profession,” said Lynne Fitzgerald, MSUB assistant professor. “They may be guiding backpacking but before they send out the people they’re going to do a little safety orientation talk. These are the risks and these are the things we need to avoid and then there’s group management. Keeping your group safe and being aware of them.”

“If you look at our group up here, we get families, we get seniors. we just get the whole gamut, people running. People riding bikes,” Waite said about the people who use Swords Park. “So it’s kind of a place that a lot of people experience together. It’s got great views of the city so it’s a place we enjoy together and we share time in together.”

Waite said many park users continue to keep the grounds clean during the rest of the year, as Swords and other parks.