Community comes together for annual Gwinn Sawyer Clean Up

GWINN/K.I. SAWYER — Volunteers around the Gwinn area participated in the third annual Gwinn Sawyer Clean Up on Saturday.

The event was originally started by the St. Francis Connection Center three years ago as an effort to clean up illegal dumpsites in the area. With the help of grant funding from the Community Foundation of Marquette County, the effort has collected tens of thousands of pounds of trash.

The Gwinn Sawyer Community Clean Up has gained more community partners over the years, including church groups and local businesses.

“Forsyth Township saw what we were doing, and said ‘Hey, we want to copy that,’ and that’s a great sign of flattery. So, it’s grown and now, we’re collaborating together with a lot of other groups as well,” said Father Allen P. Mott, pastor of St. Francis Connection Center.

There were 11 total sponsors for this year’s efforts, including West Branch Township, Northern Disposal, Waste Management, MACASU Inc., Sawyer Village, St. Anthony Altar Society, Knights of Columbus Council #6293 and Marquette County Forestry.

Father Mott says he is especially thankful for the volunteers because the effort is volunteer-based.