Valleywide : Police Coordinating Volunteer Cleanup

Operation Sparkle, a citywide cleanup campaign, will be held Saturday.

Police stations around the San Fernando Valley are coordinating the effort aimed at removing graffiti and freshening up neighborhoods.

Valley residents willing to volunteer will be asked to paint, pick up garbage and pull weeds, among other tasks, according to Los Angeles Police Department Detective Woody Parks, Valley coordinator of this year’s event.

Following the cleanup, the LAPD will sponsor a picnic for participants.

“It’s a real nice community event that makes people proud of where they live,” said Parks. “If you’re happy in the place you live, then things are just better all the way around.”

Operation Sparkle originated in the Valley in 1989 and was expanded citywide in 1994.

The program focuses on the fight against graffiti and urban blight as well as uniting the community with the Police Department.

The 1994 event attracted more than 20,000 volunteers, who, working with police and other city departments, used 3,700 gallons of paint to remove graffiti from 1,500 locations. They also collected more than 1,300 tons of garbage.

Operation Sparkle 1995 runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those interested in volunteering may call (800) 749-CITY.