Group adopts block to set pace in cleanup effort

Armed with 200 pairs of gloves, 300 garbage bags and face masks provided by the city, more than 200 members of the local Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist chapter began attacking the litter and debris near the intersection of Charleston and Jones boulevards Sunday.

The organization was the first to participate in the Adopt-a-Block program, created last year by the city of Las Vegas. Members from SGI-USA have adopted the area on Jones from Oakey Boulevard to Alta Drive and on Jones from Torrey Pines Drive to Lindell Road.

"As Buddhists, we believe in always leaving things better than we found them," said SGI-USA member Larry Kinder, who helped organize the event.

In addition to major clean-ups, volunteers who adopt a block are responsible for patrolling their area on a weekly basis to report any graffiti, debris or overgrown vegetation to the city's Rapid Response Team.

The program, which falls under the umbrella of the Neighborhood Services Department, is open to businesses, organizations or individuals interested in cleaning up their neighborhoods.

Since March 1996, the Rapid Response Team has cleaned up and painted more than 70 miles of medians. Members have removed trash and debris from more than 140 miles of roadsides and removed graffiti from more than 23,000 locations.

Rick Henry, executive aide to Councilman Michael McDonald, who created the neighborhood services department two years ago, said there has been enormous response to the Adopt-a-Block program and that SGI-USA is the first on a list of 40, which vary from businesses and agencies to individuals who sign up.

Henry added that graffiti is a big frustration to city residents and businesses. All it takes, however, is one phone call to the city and it will be cleaned up within 48 to 72 hours if it's within the city boundaries.

Out of the 36,000 phone calls the city responded to last year, 12,000 were graffiti, said Orlando Sanchez, manager of the Neighborhood Service Rapid Response Team. The response team also handles abandoned buildings, illegal signs, weeds, trash and debris.

Marge Kinder, who organized the clean up for SGI-USA, said there will be a major clean up four times a year in addition to maintenance checks.

"They (vandals) want to be seen. If we keep removing the graffiti, they'll move on," Kinder said

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