By Elise Gray
Special to the Alpine Mountaineer
Passionate mountain locals gathered in Running Springs behind Neo’s Pizza House on May 17 with the Bear Valley Protection Society (BVPS) for a common cause. More than 26 volunteers gathered for Community Cleanup Day in partnership with Jaime Stiansen of the Running Springs Chamber of Commerce. The dedicated volunteers collected thousands of pounds of winter debris from the San Bernardino Mountains.
“If we don’t do this, we’ll be driving by debris all day long,” said Adam Creason, owner of Native Plant Market and a longtime advocate for environmental stewardship. His sentiment was echoed by the volunteers who rolled up their sleeves to restore the area’s beauty.
Volunteers gathered outside of Neo’s Pizza House
The cleanup targeted key locations in Running Springs, including Highway 18 turnouts (south side), Snowdrift Snow Park’s two snow play areas and the remote Deep Creek corridor. Volunteers spent up to four hours scouring these areas to remove trash, tires and other discarded debris.
“We’ll break up into teams with group leaders,” organizers emphasized. “Your safety is our priority. We want everyone to feel comfortable, confident and safe.”
Participants in the event were also treated to community-sponsored giveaways. Enchanted Trees donated a dozen donuts to fuel the crew. A contest awarded prizes for “most trash collected” and “weirdest find,” with grand prizes including a family four-pack to SkyPark at Santa’s Village ($250 value), a large one-topping pizza from Neo’s Pizza and a hand-carved worry stone and shell earrings from Family Jewels.
To date, BVPS and partners have collectively removed over 6,000 pounds of trash from local hotspots. This is an ongoing effort to keep forest floors clean. BVPS works year-round with San Bernardino County Public Works and the U.S. Forest Service to curb illegal dumping and restore recreational areas. Volunteers are also involved in trail maintenance and hike cleanups, proudly wearing their Forest Service badges.
Those wishing to participate can email the Bear Valley Protection Society or visit bearvalleyps.org.
As the work began, there was a shared sense of purpose. “It’s hard seeing what happens to our town,” said one volunteer, “But to make the world better, sometimes you have to pick up someone else’s trash.”
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