CHICOPEE — Chicopee is getting ready to roll up its sleeves for a morning of civic pride and community cleanup during the annual Clean Sweep event, set for Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Now in its fifth year, the event continues to grow, fueled by a shared mission to beautify the city and strengthen neighborhood spirit.
Clean Sweep began in 2021 as a Chicopee Cultural Council initiative designed to give residents a safe and productive way to gather during the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, it has evolved into a broader community effort, especially after the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce joined the initiative in 2022 to engage local businesses.
“It has since become a much bigger citywide effort,” said Melissa Breor, executive director of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, “especially since Mayor [John] Vieau introduced his Clean City Initiative ‘Stop the Drop’ in 2023.”
This year’s event will target several high-visibility public spaces across Chicopee. Cleanup areas are largely chosen based on where volunteers and section captains are willing to focus their efforts. “We have some fantastic recurring captains who take on Pendelton and Sheridan Street, for example,” Breor explained. “HB Real Estate puts together a large team every year and picks a new section to focus on.”
The goal of the event is simple but impactful. “The goal of Clean Sweep is a clean and welcoming community,” Breor said. “We hope that this volunteer-led effort inspires others to help ‘Stop the Drop’ when they see our Clean Sweep teams out and about on May 3.”
Participation is open to all, and the chamber and Cultural Council encourage individuals and families to sign up in advance to ensure enough supplies — such as trash bags and pickers — are available.
“Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves, water bottles and dress appropriately for the weather,” said Breor.
While joining a team is helpful for planning, it’s not a requirement to get involved.
The community response so far has been strong, especially from returning captains and several city officials.
“We have some captains and businesses who help every year, and City Councilors Abigail Arriaga and Samuel Shumsky are leading the cleanups in their wards,” Breor shared. “Every area on the list needs more community members to pitch in, though.”
As the city looks forward to this spring tradition, Breor offered a final call to action: “We hope to see our fellow Chicopee residents come on out and help us.”
More information and signups can be found on the chamber’s website and social media pages, as well as the city’s website.
