Libby springs into community cleanup

Putting forth an effort to brighten the community in anticipation of those extra visitors that roll through during the summer months, the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce and Kootenai Disposal have partnered along with other businesses to make cleaning up a little easier.

Green garbage containers will be on site at five locations around town from April 16-27. Residents are invited to fill them with winter clutter. And for bigger items, such as appliances, tires and even vehicles, the chamber will arrange for free pick-up on April 23 for Brooms Day.

“People come through here … and whether they stay in Libby for a night or just pass through and have lunch, it’s important to clean up our clutter,” said Dusti Thompson, Libby Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. “It’s not even just the tourists, it’s friends and family. You want the whole community to be unified and cleaned. That’s where the whole idea came from … to make it nice and presentable for our season.”

Thompson said Brooms Day grew out of an idea first suggested by Tami Holzer of Glacier Bank, who now serves on the chamber board.

The cleanup effort officially begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday with the taking of a community picture at the four-way stop on Mineral Avenue. Although those containers will be available for use from Thursday through April 27, the actual Brooms Day is on April 23. That’s when Kootenai Disposal and Thompson herself will be riding around in a truck picking up items.

The green garbage containers will be placed at Aitkens Quik Stop, Libby Empire Foods, Venture Motor Inn, Pamida and Mac’s Market. For bigger items that need to be picked up, call the chamber at 293-4167 or Holzer at 291-0307 to schedule a time.