Crews clean up Veterans Park after July 3rd fireworks

MILWAUKEE -- Thousands made their way to Milwaukee's Veterans Park on Tuesday, July 3rd for the U.S. Bank fireworks show, and many of those people left a "litter bit" of themselves behind. On the Fourth of July, the clean-up effort began.

Milwaukee County Parks employees descended upon Veterans Park Wednesday morning to tackle the trash. They picked up things like trash and plastic bottles, while others searched the site fore treasure.

Some citizens hoped to cash in on what fireworks-viewers may have left behind. They were looking for things like loose change, cell phones and jewelry lost or left behind by the massive crowds.

2012 marked the third consecutive year Kristen Bornhofer has come to Veterans Park in search of valuables.

"Money, cell phones -- I return them and I get a reward. Jewelry -- if I can turn it in, I'll turn it in, otherwise, finders keepers!" Bornhofer said.

Others filled garbage bags with aluminum cans. Right now, a single bag of aluminum cans can equal as much as $15 in a cash exchange.

Jose Louis filled four trash bags with recyclable aluminum. Having spent six hours collecting the cans, he'll receive $60 to $70 for his effort, which he said he'll put towards the cost of his diabetes medications.

At last check, the most expensive item found at Veterans Park on Wednesday morning was an iPod.

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