Tory Lowe Community Clean Up, Milwaukee volunteers take part

MILWAUKEE - Litter and blowing trash can sometimes take over empty lots, yards and Milwaukee streets. On Saturday, neighbors took matters into their own hands at an annual clean-up event. 

Local perspective:

If you go looking, trash seems to sprout like blades of grass.

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"It’s nice to see the whole community come out though," said Marcus Johnson, a football player at Carroll University.

Johnson wasn't the only one doing good work near 9th and Chambers.

Tory Lowe Community Clean Up

"I love the city of Milwaukee. I’m right here from Harambee neighborhood. Any chance I get the opportunity to possibly impact the community, I’m all for it," said George Akpan.

Akpan was among the volunteers who helped make the city brighter at the annual Tory Lowe Community Clean Up. 

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"A cleaner community is a healed community," said Lowe. "It’s a great thing to see people with diverse backgrounds coming together to help beautify our city."

Big picture view:

Lowe, a radio host and community activist, organized three separate clean-up locations on Saturday morning. FOX6 News took a walk with Lowe after volunteers made a major difference on the block. 

"The children come out, it’s something for them to do, and it’s a teachable moment for them and the parents understand that," said Lowe.

Tory Lowe

There’s value in the clean-up, helping build a stronger block. 

"Make your area clean. The Earth is our place, it’s where we live, we need to take care of it," added Johnson.

Lowe said he organized his first community clean-up event in 2010.