The Community Cleanup Day

Corey signs up for the neighborhood cleanup day. It is Saturday morning. The small park is busy already. Volunteers wear yellow vests and carry big trash bags. Corey picks up cans and old newspapers near the swings.

An elderly woman walks slowly past the park gate. She pulls a small cart full of leaf bags. One bag falls and rips open on the sidewalk. Leaves spill across the path.

Corey puts down the trash bag. Corey walks over to help. "Do you need some help?" Corey asks.

"Oh, thank you," the woman says. "My name is Della. These bags are heavy today."

Corey picks up the loose leaves. Corey puts them in a new bag. Della points across the street. "I need to get these to the curb," she says.

Together, they push the cart down the sidewalk. Corey carries two big bags. Della carries one bag. They stop once to rest.

At the curb, they stack the bags in a row. Della wipes her hands and smiles. "Thank you so much," she says.

"It was easy," Corey says. "I was already outside."

Della looks at Corey's yellow vest. "Is there a cleanup day every year?" she asks.

"Yes, every fall," Corey says. "You can come next time."

Della nods slowly. "Maybe next year," she says. "I like exercise."

"Bring gloves," Corey says with a smile. "We always need extra volunteers."

Corey waves and jogs back into the park. The other volunteers are almost done near the swings. Corey picks up the trash bag again. Corey gets back to work.