Beautification Chairman Bob Hafner (center) gives instructions to some of the volunteers before the cleanup begins.

De Palma Road between the Von’s shopping center and Horsethief Canyon Road was targeted by a crew of community volunteers who, manned with bags and “pickers,” donned safety vests as they collected trash along the busy street.

About 20 residents participated in the cleanup sponsored by the We Are Temescal Valley Beautification Committee. According to committee Chairman Bob Hafner, an estimated 1,000 pounds of trash and garbage was collected and hauled to El Sobrante Landfill during the two-and-a-half-hour event.

Hafner furnished bagels, coffee and water for the volunteers, and Toscana’s Adam Eventov brought doughnuts. The trash pickers, bags and vests were donated by the landfill.

 The Shirkman Family — Jay, Layla and Keegan of Sycamore Creek. David Rayner displays a tire, one of several found in the gullies along De Palma.
Tracy Davis and David Rayner struggle to retrieve a commode from a gully.
Brien Clingman, Dianne Sincich, Dan Chavez, Jerry Sincich (displaying a golf ball he found), and Carmen Reed.Bob Hafner makes a truck stop to collect filled bags and loose items.

Vehicles whizzing by on the I-15 don’t deter Jerry Sincich.
Tracks in the muddy shoulder — are they canine or coyote? Hint: There were no human tracks next to them.

Tracy Davis, Sandy Bilodeau (of Glen Eden), David Rayner and Barbara Paul.
Barbara Paul and Rob Mucha help load the trucks.

Enjoying doughnuts and bagels after the event — Rob Mucha (The Retreat), Bob Hafner (Horsethief Canyon Ranch), Barbara Paul (Glen Eden), Dan Chavez (Glen Eden), David Rayner (Glen Eden), Tracy Davis (Wildrose Ranch), Jerry and Dianne Sincich (Sycamore Creek), Adam Eventov (Toscana) and Brien Clingman (Weirick Road neighborhood).