The first #loveshreveport Citywide Cleanup was a big event downtown. Nearly 30 downtown teams made up of businesses, non-profits, residents, community organizations and just plain supporters and volunteers hit the streets bright and early Saturday, August 24 to spend a couple of hours sweating to make a difference.
Courtesy City of Shreveport, Photographer Ben Riggs
Before taking to the sidewalks, alleys, curbs, parks and river/bayou-front, team members gathered at The Standard for camaraderie, donuts and Rhino Coffee. Mayor Adrian Perkins and several staffers dropped by to chat, meet and cheer on the teams before heading off to stops around the rest of the city. Fortified by encouragement, thanks, sugar, and caffeine, it was time to get to work.
EVERYONE worked hard and everyone was important to the cause, but there were some standouts and some special moments. Here are just a few:
The Hilton Shreveport rocked the day with 27 team members! They did it all from scraping off mud on the street to picking up litter around Cross Bayou, and they showed throughout the morning that sweating and smiling can co-exist. Hilton General Manager Marianne Nelson was with her troops, dubbed the Hilton ‘Blue Energy’ team, all morning, and her excitement about the project was one of the reasons the Hilton team was a standout!
Volunteer Anita Holloway came to The Standard before traveleing to assist crews in Shreveport Common. Anita out-worked almost everyone, and muscled TWO mattresses out of the weeds and alleys for pickup.
Master Gardener and downtown resident David Helms started working Thursday along Texas Avenue and in a particularly nasty alley off of Lawrence Street. He hauled much of the junk to Lawrence for pickup and piled the rest along the alley for DDA Streetscape crews. David worked multiple days to make this area look much better.
Lofts at 624 property manager Miriam Martin brought a power washer to wash down the alley behind Parish Taceaux and artspace, earning her the respect and undying admiration from all who pass by the particularly stinky dumpster each day.
There were MANY more stories such as this. We appreciate each and every person who shared their time, talents and efforts and invite them to participate with us again.
Dominique Dillon Report on ArkLaTex.com
City Councilwoman LeVette Fuller and Thomas Pressly, the new State Rep. for District 6. They strike a modified ‘American Gothic’ pose!
Adam West and his team with Progressive Bank!
The crew at 700 Texas!
Parish Taceaux loves Shreveport and Downtown!
Just a few of the more than 200 volunteers working in downtown Saturday morning.
ORIGINAL STORY- Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019
On Saturday, August 24, nearly 30 teams representing downtown businesses and 
groups will pull on gloves and pick up litter, sweep, trim shrubs and do whatever else is needed to make our downtown a more beautiful and welcoming place. The Citywide Cleanup sponsored by the City of Shreveport and Shreveport Green is -yes- citywide, but we believe our participation puts downtown at the top of the ‘cleanup heap’ and we couldn’t be more pleased. Shreveport Green Executive Director Donna Curtis was thrilled to hear the downtown response. “Thank you, Downtown, for your energy and spirit! A clean and groomed city is a safe and vital one. Everyone needs to do their part- from picking up that which needs to be picked up and – most importantly- not throwing it down in the first place!”
We agree, and so do a bunch of other people and businesses. All of them will be out with gloves and garbage bags Saturday morning, and you can be, too. If you’d like to join us, come prepared to sweat and meet us between 7:15 and 8 am at The Standard, 509 Market Street, for pre-cleanup donuts and coffee. From there, we’ll hit the streets and the sidewalks and the riverfront! Our cleanup partners include:
SHREVEPORT AQUARIUM
SCI-PORT DISCOVERY CENTER
FULLY STACKED
REMINGTON SUITES HOTEL & SPA
HAZE & ROYALTY
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CONVENTION & TOURIST BUREAU
NORSWORTHY GALLERY
THE STANDARD
SHREVEPORT HILTON
GREATER SHREVEPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
RETRO DOWNTOWN CAFÉ
SHREVE MEMORIAL LIBRARY
THE MISSING LINK
PROGRESSIVE BANK
BALAR & ASSOCIATES
THE LOFTS @ 624
PARISH TACEAUX & ARTSPACE
IARCHiTECTURE
VINTAGE DESIGN
THE AGORA BOREALIS
SURFARI PALS
KORNER LOUNGE
SHREVEPORT COMMON
The Downtown Development Authority’s Streetscape crews will also be out with our sweeper and vac unit and will handle disposing of all the bags of litter, limbs and other unwanted items collected by the various teams. Two of the businesses- The Standard and the Lofts @ 624- will host pre- and post- cleanup drinks and snacks for the crews, prior to the big citywide event at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds.
