Trail Cleanup Coordinator:  ​
​Cece Niemczyk

Updated 11.22.2024

TRAIL CLEANUP REPORT
Friday, November 15, 2024

​An enthusiastic, hard working group of nine volunteers helped with the November trail cleanup project. Everyone worked hard, walking up and down the trail picking up large and small pieces of trash and debris. Each person filled at least one bag of trash.  It was a beautiful, sunny morning, made even more beautiful because of the help and camaraderie of the volunteers. ​

Even though there is some physical labor involved with this project, we always have fun doing it. We work hard but have time to greet one another as well as other walkers, runners, and cyclists who pass by as we are doing our work. It is always rewarding to hear some of these passers-by shout out a “thank-you” to us. It is also rewarding to see how clean the trail looks after our group has finished its work.  ​

Those ARR members who generously gave of their time on this project include Joyce Fafard, Tom Besson, Richard Knapp, Glenda Muirhead, Dennis Muirhead, Dan Kavet, Elliott Foucar, and Katie Abbott. Water and tasty snacks including Aussie Bites, Rx Bars, and dark chocolate covered caramels were available for anyone who needed or wanted a shot of energy to help propel them through their work or reward them for a job well done. These treats are a small “carrot” that is dangled in front of the hard working volunteers to encourage them to return. The other carrot is the opportunity to spend time with friends doing a worthwhile task. These “carrots” must be effective because many of the same people volunteer over and over!​

Cece Niemczyk, trail cleanup coordinator, thanks all of the impressive ARR volunteers, as well as McDonalds Restaurant for allowing us to use their dumpster again.  The next trail cleanup project will take place sometime in May 2025. The exact date will be announced in April.
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Thanks, everyone! 
Cece Niemczyk      

Dennis Muirhead

Elliott Foucar

Katie Abbott

Tom Besson

TRAIL CLEANUP REPORT
Friday, May 17, 2024

May 17th was a perfectly beautiful spring morning that brought out one of the largest groups to ever participate in the ARR biannual trail cleanup project. It was wonderful to see sixteen diligent, enthusiastic club members help with this project.

​Everyone who was there did his or her part to beautify the multi-purpose trail. Even though there seemed to be very little trash when our team began to work, upon closer inspection we found that there was enough junk for each volunteer to fill partially or completely one large trash bag. The condition of the trail was deceptive because it did not look like there would be much trash to pick up. Although there were few big items to remove, there were lots of small pieces of garbage including paper wrappers, napkins, straws, and single serving liquor bottles, and more.  We all got a good workout bending down to get to all of it. 

​We were surprised to find that the trail was in decent shape as far as the amount of trash goes. It had looked very dirty and messy the week before when we did the Bear Canyon Saturday morning Group Run. We decided that one of two things happened during the intervening week to tidy up the trail before our arrival:  some of the people from the neighborhood did some cleaning up before we got there, or the wind blew everything to the east. Nevertheless, the ARR team was in good spirits as we made our way north from Montgomery and Tramway picking up every single, small (or large) piece of debris that we could find. There was one profitable find.  Dennis Muirhead found a one dollar bill.  It was his lucky day!     

Trail cleanup coordinator, Cece Niemczyk, was extremely pleased to have the help of so many ARR members.  Those who gave of their time and effort were Tom Besson, Brian Johnson, Joyce Fafard, Glenda Muirhead, “Lucky” Dennis Muirhead, Jim Schnitzler, Cliff Matthews, Chris Martin, John Martin, Richard Knapp, Dina Hammad, Dan Kavet, Susan Williamson, Mike Williamson, and Joel Melendez. As always, many people who passed by us shouted out their thanks to our group for helping to keep the trail clean.  ​

The filled trash bags were thrown, once again, into the large McDonalds dumpster. This may seem like a small gesture on their part, but it is a significant help to us because it eliminates the need to take the bags to the landfill. Thanks to McDonalds as well as to the ARR volunteers.  

The next cleanup will take place in November 2024.  See you then!
Cece Niemczyk                   ​

TRAIL CLEANUP REPORT
Friday, November 17, 2023

A group of ten volunteers cheerfully helped with the biannual ARR trail cleanup project on November 17, 2023. The fun began shortly before 9 am near the McDonald’s Restaurant on the corner of Montgomery and Tramway NE. This has been our usual meeting place for the past six years, and it was chosen because it is near the start of a number of Saturday morning ARR group runs. We utilize the paved trail for some portion of all of these runs. It seems appropriate that we should do our part to beautify the trail twice each year. ​The hard working, uplifting people who came out to work this time included:       

Kathy Kirsling
Tom Besson
Glenda Muirhead
Dennis Muirhead
Kurt Coonrod
Dan Kavet (a first time volunteer who is new to Albuquerque)
Rondi Thornton
Richard Knapp
Joel Melendez

​Each person filled at least one large bag with trash. Some of the volunteers choose to use “grabbers” while others choose to bend down and pick up the trash with their gloved hands. No matter what method is used, the end result is many bags filled with trash that no longer defaces the trail. As always, the kind staff at McDonald’s allowed us to throw the filled bags in their dumpster. After more than an hour of this group effort, the trail was noticeably cleaner.

​We always receive many words of thanks from passers-by as we do our work, which is one of the small rewards of taking part in this project.  Teresa Edens and Nancy Capels, two local women who walk the trail each day and do trash pick-up themselves, were some of those stopping to thank us. Those words of thanks are appreciated.
Thanks to all of you who helped. Hope to see you at the May 2024 cleanup.

Cece Niemczyk      

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!