Residents in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood came together on Sat., September 12, to clear litter and brush from their alleys.

The clean up, which usually happens a few times over the warmer months in normal years, had been delayed this year due to COVID-19.

“We were actually going to do this earlier in the year but it was like pretty much around the time the pandemic hit and everyone was hunkering down and it was just too heavy, but now we’re kind of getting our pandemic legs,” Linda Fleischman said.

She is glad everyone could get together to work in the alleys before the weather gets too cool.

Targeting five alleys in the neighborhood, volunteers showed up with brooms, saws, shovels and trash bags to do their part. They gave attention to Forest Aly, Moss Aly, Emerald Aly, Viridian Aly and Fern Aly.

“It’s good, especially with COVID-19, being stuck inside and not getting to socialize very much, it’s great to be able to come together as a community again,” Brek Miller said.

“We live on the back of the alley and we’ve tried to take care of it individually, but it’s always better with help and neighbors,” Desiree Lee said.

She and her two boys cleaned up the alley behind their home last year by themselves, and it was very overgrown.

“We get a lot more accomplished with friends and neighbors,” Lee said.

Noah Fleischman said it’s nice to socialize with neighbors wile still being able to social distance after being cooped up all spring and summer because of COVID-19.