MEMPHIS, Tenn. — We can’t celebrate Memphis without pride. The two go together.
And pride is what led to a city-wide cleanup effort.
It is more than a neighborhood and more than a community.
Whitehaven is home.
Where home is, pride reigns.
“Pride means to me that I know when I wake up in Whitehaven, I woke up in the best neighborhood. I know that I’ve got the best of everything. Why do I have it? It’s because our people,” said Michael O. Harris, Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corporation Executive Director.
They don’t call it the volunteer state for nothing.
Harris lives and breathes Whitehaven.
“I’m not just coming here for a job. This is my home. I was raised here. I raise my children here, so the success and cleanliness and overall representation and brand of our community, it means the world to me,” said Harris.
That is why Harris will be participating in his first Dumpster Days cleaning up the city of Memphis.
“We have illegal dumping that takes place that we don’t know the ownership. We don’t know where it comes from, but it’s here. This is an opportunity for the community to say no more. Let’s clean it up. Let’s get rid of it,” said Harris.
The event kicks off in Whitehaven.
Jerred Price is Memphis City Beautiful Commissioner.
“We bring a dumpster in each council person’s district. It’s just a chance for the community to have a free time, a free day to come and get rid of unnecessary and unwanted items,” said Price. “You can come and get rid of unwanted household items, unwanted trash, unwanted debris, and it’s free of charge.”
It makes it easier for residents to do their part.
“As a Memphian, it discourages me to see the illegal dumping, the trash, the tires because Memphis was once named one of the most beautiful cities in America. We still can be. We’ve just got to learn how to take pride, utilize our resources to get rid of our trash and unwanted items,” said Price.
“People always say, ‘Is there momentum in Whitehaven?’ Yes. Being able to galvanize the community and bring folks out to help keep it clean and start making that change happen, it shows who we are as a people,” said Harris.
They are dumping the dump for pride and prosperity.
Dumpster Days kicks off this Saturday from 9am to 4pm at Shelby Drive and Elvis Presley Blvd.