Trail Cleanup Coordinator:  ​
​Cece Niemczyk

Updated 5.18.23

TRAIL CLEANUP REPORT
Friday, May 12, 2023

A small but enthusiastic group of seven volunteers helped with the ARR spring trail cleanup project on the morning of May 12th. We met at 9:00 am near the McDonald’s Restaurant at Montgomery and Tramway. It was a beautiful spring morning with comfortable temperatures, clear blue skies, and very little wind.

​Before beginning this cleanup session, coordinator Cece Niemczyk met with the manager at McDonald’s to request permission to use their dumpster. As always, permission was granted without hesitation.

​Those who helped with this volunteer project included ARR Club President Tom Besson, Richard Knapp, Cliff Matthews, Kurt Coonrod, Elliott Foucar, Kristy Ott-Meyer, and Joel Melendez. The volunteers made their way north along the trail, picking up any trash that they found. There were some large items such as a piece of particle board that Cliff Matthews immediately brought to the McDonald’s dumpster before going back out to pick up more trash. Numerous bags were filled with a variety of items including many small pieces of paper, cigarette butts, fast food wrappers, straws, and bottles. Even though there were many passes through of the same areas by the volunteers, there was always more debris to find. There seems to be a never-ending supply of trash if one chooses to look closely. Thanks to the work of our ARR volunteers, the trail looked clean and debris free after our time out there.

​There are always a number of positive compliments that are directed toward our group while we are doing this task. People who walk, run, or ride on their bicycles often express their gratitude with a kind expression of thanks. This makes the task more rewarding and allows us to see how even the small, simple act of picking up trash can enhance the community where we live.

​A sincere thank-you is extended to the positive, generous, and hard working ARR members who participated in this project. The next trail cleanup will take place in November 2023.  See you there!

TRAIL CLEANUP REPORT
Friday, November 18, 2022 ​

​Despite the bitter, cold temperatures on the morning of Friday, November 18, a large group of volunteers congregated to help with the semi-annual ARR trail cleanup. The temperature was in the low twenties, but there was very little wind. The sun was shining as the twelve volunteers made their way along the Tramway multi-use trail to pick up trash.

The group met, once again, near the McDonald’s Restaurant at Tramway and Montgomery NE.  There were a few large items that were found by Elliott Foucar who opted to clean the median. The rest of the volunteers went north on the trail and found a never-ending supply of small pieces of trash. One thing that everyone noticed was how clean the area next to the east wall was. Not only was all of the trash removed, but so were the weeds. We learned that Teresa Edens and Nancy Capels, two women who live in the neighborhood, had taken it upon themselves to thoroughly clean this area the week before. They walked by as we were doing our work.

The filled bags of trash were thrown in the dumpsters at McDonald’s. This generosity of McDonald’s makes our job much easier because it eliminates the need to take the bags to the city dump.  Thank you, McDonald’s! 

A heartfelt thanks goes out to the generous volunteers who helped with this project. It would not have been successful without them. Joyce Fafard, Glenda Muirhead, Dennis Muirhead, Kurt Coonrod, David Wilson, Richard Iverson, Carol Schelling, Tony Recker, Cliff Matthews, Elliott Foucar, Joel Melendez, and Chuck Fuller all gave of their time. Thanks to everyone for coming out to help on that cold November morning.
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The next trail cleanup will take place in May 2023.  

Joyce Fafard

Chuck Fuller

Dennis Muirhead

Joel Melendez

Elliott Foucar

Cece Niemczyk

Neighbors Teresa and Nancy

Joel Melendez, Cece Niemczyk, Cliff Matthews, Carol Schelling, Tony Recker

Cleanup Event - November 19, 2021
WRAP UP REPORT

​​On a beautiful and crisp November morning, fourteen enthusiastic volunteers participated in ARR’s semi-annual trail cleanup. This was the first post-pandemic (or mid-pandemic) cleanup. Coordinator Cece Niemczyk was pleasantly surprised with the tremendous response from many dedicated ARR members.

​Once again, the McDonald’s Restaurant at the corner of Montgomery and Tramway allowed us to throw the filled bags of trash into their dumpster. This is something that makes our efforts much easier since we do not have to take the bags to the dump. The help from McDonalds’s is sincerely appreciated.

​The multi-use trail on Tramway Boulevard looked great after the few hours that were spent picking up trash and other debris. Even though it was a rather windy morning, the team worked hard to leave the trail in great shape.

​The ARR members who so generously gave of their time include Dave Clark, Kurt Coonrod, Larry Bowles, Tom Besson, Elliott Foucar, Rodger Sack, Cliff Matthews, David Wilson, Gene Kersh, Jim Schnitzler, Peter Falk, and Dennis & Glenda Muirhead. In addition to the club members who helped, there were two non-members who pitched in:  Teresa Edens and Nancy Capels. They walk the trail numerous times each week, and routinely pick up trash on Monday mornings. When they saw our group they jokingly accused us of stealing their thunder! Still, they kindly chose to help us out.  

​It is amazing that our group always receives such positive responses from people passing by as we are doing our volunteer work. To have two non-members such as Teresa and Nancy help us out is like icing on the cake. It is a good reminder of how a small act of generosity can bring out the best in people.

Thanks again to all who helped with this effort.     

Cleanup Event - November 22, 2019 - Wrap Up Report

There was a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers who showed up on Friday, November 22, to help with the ARR Trail Cleanup. Despite the fact that there had been rain and even some snow in Albuquerque the day before, that did not deter fifteen people from coming out to help. Cleanup coordinator, Cece Niemczyk, was very pleasantly surprised to see this great turnout on a foggy and cold morning.  It surpassed her expectations!

We worked for a few hours picking up trash and debris along the multi-use trail on Tramway Boulevard. We had 12 to 15 bags at the end of our effort. Many of the bags were partially full and a few were completely full. The trail looked great after the effort of these wonderful ARR volunteers. Once again, the McDonald's Restaurant at the corner of Montgomery and Tramway kindly allowed us to throw the trash bags in their dumpster.  

Those people who helped with the trail cleanup were:  Richard Harris, Joyce Fafard, Richard Knapp, Karen Shackleford, Kelly Bowles, Kurt Coonrod, Dennis Muirhead, Glenda Muirhead, Chuck Fuller, Katie Abbott, Kelley Garcia, Joaquin Garcia, Cece Niemczyk and her two grandchildren, Jackson and Lilly Miksch. Jackson and Lilly had an unexpected day off from school because of a gas leak. They were recruited to help by their babysitter, Grandma Cece. Although they were a bit apprehensive about spending the morning picking up trash, they both decided that it was not so bad after all.  

A huge “thank you” goes out to this core group of volunteers who helped to make the fall 2019 ARR Trail Cleanup a great success. We hope to see some of you for the Spring 2020 cleanup in May. 

Cece Niemczyk
Coordinator, ARR Trail Cleanup

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Trail Cleanup Friday, May 17, 2019 - WRAP-UP REPORT

On a blustery May 17th morning, eight stellar members of our club showed up to take part in our spring trail cleanup project. We met at the corner of Montgomery and Tramway at 9 am and made our way north along the multi-use trail picking up trash and debris. Despite the fierce wind that was blowing, we did a great job of cleaning up the area. The coordinator of the ARR Trail Cleanup Project, Cece Niemczyk, would like to thank those people who donated their time and labor to this worthwhile project. The hearty souls who helped were Club President Kurt Coonrod, Dick Harris, Chris Peters, Club Treasurer Glenda Muirhead, Dennis Muirhead, Club Secretary Richard Knapp, and Jason Strauch. Thanks are also extended to the McDonald's Restaurant that is located at that corner. They have allowed us, once again, to use their dumpster to dispose of the many bags of trash that we picked up.

The next trail cleanup project will be scheduled for some time in November, 2019.  I hope to see many of you then. This project could not succeed without the help of many dedicated ARR members. Thank you!

Submitted by 
Cece Niemczyk
ARR Trail Cleanup Coordinator      

Cleanup Event November 16, 2018
​ - Thanks, Volunteers!

The November Volunteer Trash pickup event took place on Friday, November 16, 2018.  An enthusiastic and hardworking crew of seven members of ARR showed up on that rather cold November morning to help with this project.  Those members who participated include Dennis Muirhead, Glenda Muirhead, Katie Abbott, Cliff Matthews, Richard J. Harris, Chuck Fuller, and coordinator Cece Niemczyk.  There was no shortage of trash on the Tramway multi-use trail but with the work of our dedicated team we made a significant dent in removing it during our two hours of cleanup.   One of the perks of doing this sort of volunteer work is the heartfelt thanks that we receive from many people passing by.  There were walkers, runners, cyclists, and motorists who gave us the thumbs up and thanked us for efforts.  Thanks to Dennis and Glenda Muirhead, the ARR banner was prominently displayed on the trail giving credit to our club for this project.

​A big thank you goes out to the McDonald’s Restaurant at the corner of Montgomery and Tramway who kindly allowed us to place our trash in their dumpster.
 
Coordinator Cece Niemczyk would like to thank all of the club members who helped with this project.  Another cleanup effort will be scheduled for May of 2019, so mark your calendars now!