by Joe Divack
The idea that was born in June of 2010 didn't seem like an altogether workable concept. No special funding or equipment and proposed to work 12 months a year removing trash? What could it be? Why folks, its DumpBusters!
On the occasion of DumpBusters' fourth anniversary, it seems appropriate to spend a moment looking back at how it began, and what it looks like today.
It all started when volunteer Joe Divack found that he thoroughly enjoyed the physical work of cleanups and the satisfaction of a job well done for the community. Joe started off doing the work on his own, not realizing that others might enjoy doing it too. Eventually he connected with Allegheny CleanWays, and was fortunate enough to find a board of directors that thought a small crew operating daily could be an interesting complement to existing large group cleanups.
DumpBusters began with a tiny volunteer base, no truck, and not much of anything except great support from ACW. It attracted a small cadre of devoted volunteers, including Dave Limbacher, J C Bartle, and Elizabeth Graham. They found that they liked going out every week, even in winter, to work on completing a very large site that ACW had been cleaning for about a decade. They then moved on to many other sites, following the general operating philosophy that every day could be a potential cleanup day, and that small crews could accomplish far more than people thought.
Over time, DumpBusters added many other volunteers but it still operates using a small crew concept. Eventually DB got the use of a small pickup truck and then a larger pickup truck. Finally, in 2012 the program obtained the use of a medium-size natural gas powered dump truck with a removable box dumpster. The box can be lowered to the ground so that volunteers can more easily load heavy material and large objects.
DumpBusters has produced a long list of completed sites throughout the last four years. They have been honored by Pittsburgh City Council and former Mayor Ravenstahl. Currently DB moves an average of 1500-2500 lbs of debris a day, specializing in sites of technical difficulty.
Additional volunteers are always needed, and persons interested should contact Allegheny CleanWays at info@alleghenycleanways.org or 412-381-1301 to set up an orientation interview.
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