Annual Jim Price Communitywide Cleanup draws record turnout

On Saturday, April 20, the spirit of community and environmental stewardship was alive and well as volunteers and residents of Gonzales united for the annual Jim Price Communitywide Cleanup Day. Timed to coincide with Earth Day, this tradition sees the City of Gonzales rallying its citizens for a day of collective action.

Frontier Waste, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, stepped up this year by providing 12 roll-off containers, four residential rear load trucks, and deploying a crew of 10 dedicated staff members. Working hand in hand with an additional 10 city staff, equipped with backhoes and claw excavators, they tackled the task with gusto, filling every available space in the dumpsters and waste trucks with a staggering total of over 57.09 tons of waste. A&S Recycling also contributed by collecting two roll-off dumpsters brimming with metal recycling.

The community spirit was palpable as volunteers turned out in force to spruce up their neighborhoods. Aptiva, demonstrating their corporate citizenship, generously provided a large trailer and volunteers to aid the elderly and disabled in transporting their bulky waste to the drop-off site. Mayor Steve Sucher himself, led by example, leading a team of volunteers through the streets, picking up litter and debris.

From the crack of dawn until midday, a steady stream of vehicles lined up at the Apache Stadium parking lot to offload bulky waste. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors like GVEC and HEB, the Beautification Advisory Board was able to organize a heartfelt "thank you" luncheon for all the volunteers and crew who contributed their time and effort to the clean-up.

Leading up to and during the event, numerous volunteer groups lent their support, including stalwarts like The Rotary Club of Gonzales, The Gonzales Noon Lion’s Club, and The Pilot’s Club of Gonzales, as well as youth organizations like The Live Oak District of the Boy Scouts of America. State Representative John Kuempel and his campaign crew, as well as local businesses like Next Concept Motorsports, also pitched in, alongside countless individual volunteers, all united in their shared mission to Keep Gonzales Beautiful.

This annual event pays homage to Dr. Jim Price. Dr. Price, a revered figure in Gonzales, served the community as a dedicated doctor from 1948 to 2003. Known for his compassionate care and commitment to cleanliness, he inspired the "Jim Price Communitywide Cleanup Day," held annually since his passing in 2013.