By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
On May 1, Molly Arnold will celebrate her 15th birthday in a very unique fashion—by heading out with her friends to beautify the town.
May 1 marks the annual Great American Cleanup in North Attleborough. The event had to be canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has returned for 2021. Dozens have signed up, including the Arnold family, a regular at the volunteer event. Molly said she enjoys the environment and animals and wanted to find a way to help.
“My friend’s mom had the idea,” said Molly, adding that eight of her friends will join her. “I thought it was a good idea too.”
Amy Arnold, Molly’s mother, said they’ve been a part of the event for six years, and became involved after seeing a flier from the Allen Avenue School PTO. The family lives on the side of North Attleborough near the Cumberland, R.I. town line, and see a lot of trash in the area.
“There’s a lot of nip bottles,” said Amy. “Which is frightening, because you know people are driving around.”
Most years, the family cleans up their neighborhood, but this year Amy asked Marsha Goldstein—executive director of Keep North Attleborough Beautiful—to assign them an area in serious need of cleaning. This they’ll be working the area of Landry Avenue, John Dietsch Boulevard, and Towne Street. Among the trash that the family has found over the years has been a toaster oven.
“It’s just a nice thing to do for the community,” said Mollly. “Making the environment nice, it’s just a nice thing to do.”
