Bright orange bags, friendly smiles, and a shared mission filled the streets as Palos Park residents came together for the village’s Fall Rid Litter Day.
Neighbors, volunteers, and local leaders gathered at the Palos Park Recreation Center, 8901 W. 123rd St., before fanning out to collect roadside trash along 123rd Street, McCarthy Road, and nearby neighborhoods.
Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters joined in the effort, saying she was thrilled to see the event continue to grow.
“This year marks our third annual Fall Rid Litter Day in the Village of Palos Park, building on the 28-year tradition of our spring cleanup,” Milovich-Walters said. “It’s a testament to how much our residents care about keeping our community clean, welcoming, and beautiful.”
She added that the continued enthusiasm for the event shows the power of community spirit.
“I’m so pleased that we’ve had such strong participation with our annual Spring Rid Litter Day that it inspired us to organize another one in the fall,” she said. “It was a wonderful opportunity for residents to contribute to the beauty of Palos Park. Dedicating an entire day for the community to come together really strengthens our bond.”
Denise Cowan, head of Palos Park’s Beautification Committee, said the volunteers’ work goes a long way toward keeping the village looking its best.
“By being here and helping out, our volunteers are making a big difference in Palos Park,” Cowan said.
The Beautification Committee first launched Rid Litter Day in 1997, and since then, volunteers have collected an estimated three tons of litter. Village officials provided gloves and garbage bags, which were collected during the following Monday’s regular garbage pickup.
More than 40 people typically take part in the spring cleanup, held each April for nearly three decades. The fall event, added in recent years, has doubled the community’s impact and strengthened the village’s ongoing beautification efforts.
As the final bags were dropped off and volunteers wrapped up their work, the impact was easy to see—freshly cleaned streets and a community proud of its teamwork.
