Volunteers Help Tidy Up Tulsa

Tulsa's mayor takes to the streets to clean up the city's image. Mayor Kathy Taylor says Tulsa is in desperate need of a makeover. The News On 6's Joshua Brakhage reports she says now's

Saturday, August 4th 2007, 2:29 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa's mayor takes to the streets to clean up the city's image. Mayor Kathy Taylor says Tulsa is in desperate need of a makeover. The News On 6's Joshua Brakhage reports she says now's a good time to start, with the PGA right around the corner.

Mayor Taylor hopes her 60-minute mission leaves a lasting impression on the city of Tulsa, long after the clock runs out on the PGA Championship.

"One bottle cap, one straw turns into hundreds and makes our city look dirty,â€ said Taylor.

The mayor lashed out against litter near 61st and Peoria. But it's not a battle she's fighting by herself. She's rallied the troops, asking Tulsans to find an hour to tidy up Tulsa.

Dave Shirley and Jaimie Hurley say itâ€™s a matter of pride.

"It's our city, so we should be proud of it and when other people come into the city they should say, 'wow, what a great cityâ€™,â€ said Hurley.

"Every time I talk to a school group, I tell them their responsibility is to go back to school and teach their teachers, parents and their friends not to throw trash out,â€ said Taylor.

Eight-year-old Braden Patton is answering the mayor's call. He's one of several kids giving up Saturday morning cartoons

"I just think it's kinda fun, and it's just really important to make Tulsa look really good and beautiful,â€ Patton said.

The mayor says the PGA is only part of the equation.

"It's a good deadline, kinda like making sure your house is clean before your mom comes to visit or your dorm room if you're in college, but this is something that we have to do on a regular basis,â€ Mayor Taylor said.

Tulsans left sweaty and a little smelly, but with a sense of accomplishment.

"It was a lot of work, but when you drive back by where you picked up the litter and you look at the accomplishment, it felt great to think that we were a part of that,â€ said volunteer Barbara Marshall.

Mayor Taylor says she almost picked up a dead snake. A couple other volunteers say they were brave enough to pick up used baby diapers. But they say their hour's worth of sacrifice is worth it, if visitors leave Tulsa with a positive impression of the city.

Watch the video: Cleaning Up The City's Image