#BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana has teamed up with The Texas High Tiger Football team and members of the community to hold its 3rd Annual Rose Hill Community Cleanup. According to the #BuyBackTheBlock team, the summer months were extremely hot and the temperatures were too high to host the cleanup during the usual late June or early July timeframe. So, after the #BuyBackTheBlock founder, Armani Valentino spoke with Coach Justin Coats, one of the original supporters of the initiative, the decision was made to do it at the same time as last year’s back to school joint cleanup.
Mr. Valentino says, “We are very thankful that the Athletic Director and Coaches at Texas High see the importance of the cleanup. It brings a certain level of pride and responsibility to the young men, many of them may live or have family in the area. Tiger Stadium is in the heart of Rose Hill. So, for the efforts of myself, Coaches Justin Coats, Shantikwa Smith, Shawn Dangerfield, and Robbie Junior and others to be supported at large is priceless.”
Multiple mini-cleanups have taken place since Mr. Valentino moved back to Texarkana in 2016. Often, many of the cleanups were self-funded and totally done alone. After reaching out and asking for assistance from the community in 2020, it was decided that it would become an annual event. “While we didn’t have time to solicit donations this and help from business and other organizations this year because we needed to get a date that worked, individuals have donated water, rakes, gloves, masks, etc. to help.” The last two years were big cleanups and supported by Lowe’s, ChicFilA, Langford Roofing, The Scholars, Omega Psi Phi, VRALIAM TECH, and other members of the community, with trash bins provided by Waste Management. This Saturday’s cleanup will be trash and debris pickup only.
“We plan to help beautify the community as children go back to school and fans get ready to attend games. Cleaning up trash is not the “attractive give back” that most people look forward to doing. However, the community looks much better when there’s no trash on the streets! That’s the least we can do to instill a sense of pride to the children and youth,” says Valentino. “Rose Hill is the heart of the city. This is Texarkana. We’re all in this together! Let’s keep Rose Hill clean. Let’s keep Texarkana clean.”
The meetup for the cleanup will be in the parking lot at Tiger Stadium at Grim Park near Summerhill Rd. & West 13th St. @ 10:30am, Saturday, August 13th, 2022.
Supplies are still needed. If you’d like to volunteer or donate supplies for Saturdays event, or donate funds to help continue the community efforts of #BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana, contact Mr. Armani Valentino at 972-591-3739 or email him at info@armanivalentino.com
