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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Get your gloves on and get ready to get dirty and help make Ottumwa sparkle! Make Ottumwa Shine week is April 29 through May 5.

It is a week dedicated to picking up trash and litter around the community.

“We have lots of places that at the end of winter, they can use a little bit of sprucing up. It just helps kind of jump start spring and makes the community look really good,” says Jody Gates, Director of Health, Inspections and Solid Waste of Ottumwa.

Hundreds of volunteers are expected to show up. The city will provide purple trash bags, gloves, and at the end of the week will pick up the trash bags from the various sites.

“From retired persons to families, to different classes of the elementary school and middle school. We have lots of people that get involved,” said Gates.

Volunteers can adopt various sites around the Ottumwa area and there is no minimum number of hours needed to participate. Gates stressed that every little bit counts.