Grand Prairie sets March 22 'Big Event' community cleanup; registration due March 1

City staff members Alena Harris and Sara Dodelic described the eighth annual Big Event community cleanup on the city's program It's Happening in Grand Prairie, saying the event will be March 22 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a kickoff at EPIC Central.

“This year is gonna be March 22. It's from, 8AM till 1PM,” Harris said on air. Organizers said the kickoff will be at EPIC Central and volunteers will be sent out to complete assigned outdoor jobs at 9 a.m.

Sara Dodelic, who helps run the event, said the cleanup is built on sponsorship funding and city partnerships. “Our goal is always a thousand volunteers doing a hundred jobs, within the city,” Dodelic said. She urged early registration because the deadline to sign up volunteers, submit jobs or secure sponsorship recognition on materials is March 1.

Dodelic described logistics support from Republic Services and city departments and said the city supplies gloves, trash bags, shirts and other materials for volunteers. Last year, organizers said, the event attracted more than 1,600 volunteers and collected 47 tons of trash.

Organizers said tasks typically include fence painting, flower-bed work, tree or bush trimming, backyard cleanups that are performed from outside property lines, and park maintenance. They said the program prioritizes requests from elderly or health-limited residents who cannot complete heavier yard work themselves.

To register as a volunteer, request a job, sponsor the event or for packet pickup details, organizers provided the web address gptx.org/bigevent and the contact phone number (972) 237-2014.