Preparing for Saturday Sun

You've read about the flash mob-seemingly spontaneous, though covertly choreographed, mass turnouts and outpourings of people all in one place in support of a special and singular event. This weekend, through the power of switching consonants, many of us will be hoping to turn a flash mob into a trash mob.

Hot fun in the summertime has already started even though we have a month before the summer season officially arrives and nowhere will this be more evident than in downtown Norwich centered at the Howard T. Brown Park and spilling back and across much of the Chelsea District.

The Rotary Club is hosting a family fun-filled carnival that begins a week from today and lasts through the following Monday, May 30th. And that's just the beginning as Riverfest and Dragon Boat racing returns on June 4th, with Rock the Docks and great local bands every week starting near the end of June and other activities throughout the summer, centered around the harbor, promise to put both feet and heat in the streets of what city leaders like to think of as the living room of Norwich. .

But when you're expecting company and intend to put your best forward, you can't have enough last minute cleaning to make sure everything is perfect, which is why this Saturday's first installment of the One City Clean Up is concentrating on the harbor area and extending that effort to the gateway intersections of Norwich.

One City Clean Up starts at eight and runs until noon this Saturday. Kicking off from the steps of the front doors of City Hall, citizen volunteers from neighborhoods across the city joined by helping hands from the Norwich Ice Rink, employees of Norwich Public Utilities as well as Norwich Public Works, the Connecticut Tigers and staff members of local businesses, not forgetting members of the City Council and the Mayor will pick up and clean up across the downtown portion of the Heritage Trail, Howard T. Brown Park, Lower Washington Street and Route 82 in the area of the Marina at American Wharf, Union Street, the Laurel Hill Bridge all the way to Burnham Square.

Cleanup will include trash pickup, sweeping, raking and brush cleaning. There's still room for more helpers, and volunteers are always welcome and can sign up by calling the Mayor's office at 860-823-3743. We can promise to leave you enough trash to make it worth your while to show up Saturday. All you need to bring are some work gloves and a desire to make a difference as we help Norwich sparkle with a special welcome to all the new friends we intend to meet when this summer's events get started. See you Saturday.

-bill kenny