Wrightwood Cleanup Day marked a significant achievement for the mountain community, bringing together local residents and organizations to make a tangible impact on the cleanliness and beauty of the surroundings. This event was made possible through the partnership with Clean California, an initiative supported by Caltrans and Adopt-A-Highway, aimed at rallying community members to help keep local beaches, highways, parks, and streets free of trash and debris.
The inaugural Wrightwood Cleanup Day was organized on September 20th by current Wrightwood CSD Board Member and Adopt-A- Highway volunteer, Martha McFauls, who played a key role in coordinating the event. The team of volunteers included community members, Sergeant Joe Venegas (Army Recruiting Officer, Victorville) and his recruits, as well as Army Sergeant Rosie Chavez from Fort Irwin.
Their collective efforts exemplified the spirit of community engagement and service. The cleanup efforts spanned several critical areas, including routine sections of Highway 2 from Mile Marker 0.5 at the LA County Line, just past Cardinal, through the Downtown area, including Spruce, Park, Pine, and Cedar Streets, and extending up to Mile Marker 2.5 at Wright Mountain Road.
In total, there were 16 volunteers, each dedicating approximately 2.5 hours to collecting trash and debris. The group’s hard work resulted in the removal of a significant amount of waste, including 17 tires, one large TV, a child’s wagon, a furniture cushion, a rake, a hardwood board sign, 21 bags of trash, and six bags of green waste, totaling 27 bags. These efforts have played a major part in maintaining the cleanliness and appeal of the local environment.
Wrightwood Cleanup Day is an extension of the ongoing Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) program, supported by the Wrightwood Property Owners Association and coordinated by Martha. The AAH initiative designates a weeklong period each month during spring and summer for focused cleanups, with no scheduled pickups during the winter months from November through March.
Caltrans supports these efforts by providing essential safety equipment such as hard hats, vests, goggles, gloves, trash grabbers, and trash bags. Martha McFauls provides training for all participants therefore, community members in Wrightwood who are interested in joining the Adopt-A-Highway program are encouraged to reach out to Martha via email at [email protected] or by text at (626)-488-0457 for more information.
