The spirit of community shone brightly in Lovelock this spring during the annual Community Cleanup effort, with work spanning several weeks. And this little band of volunteers are not done yet.
A follow-up meeting to the Community Clean up is scheduled for Sunday, June 22 at 1 p.m. at the depot, where volunteers will gather to review this year’s cleanup, share ideas, and plan for future beautification projects. The gathering will include discussion of donations, expenses, thank-you notes, and continued efforts to spruce up the town’s most visible spaces. Snacks and water will be provided.
This year, one small seed of an idea grew into a full-on replanting, quite literally. Last year, local resident Cathie Bryant said she tried to get the burnt tree stump on Main Street replaced but met radio silence. “Crickets,” she recalled. But this year, with renewed energy and momentum from the Community Cleanup, the project finally came to life.
Lee Ann Gallagher stepped up to lead the effort, with support from Mayor Mike Wilcox and a whole team of volunteers. Donations came in to help fund not just one replacement tree, but additional future plantings as well.
The effort then became a full community affair. Jeff Kerns volunteered to build a planter box to cover the unsightly old stump. The City of Lovelock staff repaired broken bricks and replaced an old bench nearby. Zev Winje made the drive to Reno to pick up the new tree, and Neil Gallagher got his hands dirty planting it.
Meanwhile, other improvements took shape around town. Red curb painting is on the list, pending completion of city weed removal efforts. Cathie repainted the white curb section and flower bed area near the Post Office, as well as the base of the flagpole. The head postmaster pitched in, buying paint and working toward new landscaping after the original was lost to a broken sprinkler.
Lee Ann and Neil Gallagher also dug in to beautify the front of Nanny Joe’s, buying and planting two trees themselves. Planting meant drilling through old concrete foundation, a task Neil tackled with the help of his grandson.
“I was inspired,” Cathie said. “What great things we can accomplish when we all work together.”
The upcoming meeting is open to anyone who wants to contribute ideas or time to future projects. From small touch-ups to major additions, the cleanup crew is proving that restoring pride in Main Street and the whole community is more than a one-day event, it’s a growing movement.
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