SCRANTON — The streets of Pine Brook and West Scranton got a little cleaner Saturday morning.
Overcast skies, wind and scattered, light rain didn’t deter volunteers under NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania in West Scranton and United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania in Pine Brook from picking up litter and trash for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics.Working in teams, they were challenged to pick up as much trash and litter as possible in two hours .
NeighborWorks and UNC staff members gave groups instructions, which included not picking up needles, sticking with a buddy and having fun.
Sisters Skylar and Hunter Marcen, of West Scranton, and their friend Zoe Honney, who volunteered under NeighborWorks, felt the activity was a good way to give back to the community.
“I just think it’s amazing to get out into the community,” Hunter Marcen said as the trio picked up trash on St. Ann’s Street in West Scranton. “I think it’s just amazing to see everyone get together as a group and clean up trash.”
Honney felt it was good to keep their community clean.
Hunter Marcen picks up a piece of trash on St. Ann Street in West Scranton Saturday, May 30, 2026 for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania employee Melody Robinson and her son Cagney Hamill pick up trash on Main Avenue in West Scranton during the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Michael Lee of Wilkes-Barre picks up trash on Capouse Avenue in Scranton’s Pine Brook neighborhood during the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Volunteers set out on Capouse Avenue for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Volunteers head out from NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania’s main office on Smith Street in West Scranton for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. Groups of volunteers cleaned up streets in West Scranton and Pine Brook for the competition. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
West Scranton resident Skylar Marcen picks up a piece of litter on St. Ann Street in West Scranton for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Erin Zablocki, director of revitalization for United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, takes a photo of volunteers cleaning up the Pine Brook neighborhood during the fourth annual Garbage Olympics Saturday, May 30, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
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Hunter Marcen picks up a piece of trash on St. Ann Street in West Scranton Saturday, May 30, 2026 for the fourth annual Garbage Olympics. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Michael Lee, an employee at OnePoint, came up from Wilkes-Barre with his wife Jamie Lee and daughter Jaida Williams. He decided to participate in the Garbage Olympics for the first time after his boss asked him and his colleagues if anyone was interested. Michael Lee was one of four employees who work at the business services company in Pine Brook that participated under UNC.
“It’s a good cause to give a couple hours on Saturday,” he said. “How could I refuse?”
Jamie Lee liked seeing people want to volunteer for the cleanup. City resident Ashley Woodward, who cleaned up in West Scranton, came because she wants to reduce litter in neighborhoods.
“I appreciate beautifying the neighborhood,” she said. “We all live here, we should all be able to enjoy it.”
Hosted by NeighborWorks and UNC, the event is part of Scranton City Pride, a citywide beautification and improvement program featuring various cleanups, plantings and beautification programs. It began Tuesday and concludes Saturday.
Holly Ord, a community development specialist for West Scranton at NeighborWorks and one of the organizers of the event for the organization, said the event is a good way for neighborhoods to build community.
“People are coming together to accomplish a goal,” she said. “We all want our streets to be clean and safe, and it’s beautiful when everybody comes together to make that happen.”
Erin Zablocki, director of community revitalization at UNC, said cleanups like the Garbage Olympics inspire others to do their part and clean up.
“I think it just brings a lot of positivity to the neighborhood,” she said.
The event included prizes and both organizations hosted after-parties.