Pocatello residents get their hands dirty

The city proved it is full of volunteers Saturday when groups went to the streets and cleaned up.

The Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Citywide Spring Cleanup. It acted as a kickoff to Pocatello’s “May I Be Of Service Month,” which encourages people to maintain a healthy Portneuf Valley.

With garbage bags and gloves, volunteers were assigned different sections of the city to go clean up.

Several groups, including Pocatello High School’s football team, replaced wood chips on berms by the J.R. Simplot Plant.

Organizers of the cleanup said it helps get the city ready for summer tourists.

“We really want to have that great front porch appeal that makes Pocatello look really welcoming and makes it look like people care,” said Mark Dahlquist, cleanup organizer. “A good, nice looking, clean community where people are proud to live and has great curb appeal– that’s really a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to economic development.”

Whether you missed or participated in the cleanup, there are still things you can do. The Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce’s Beautification Committee created a calendar filled with small service ideas that can make a big difference, like sweeping your sidewalks and planting a family garden.

You can find the calendar on oldtownpocatello.com.