Community Corner

Los Gatos Women Pick Up Garbage Around Town

Super volunteers Barbara Holden and Virginia Hess spent the morning of Saturday, Aug. 24 filling these two large bags with garbage around Quito and Bicknell roads in Saratoga.

Los Gatos residents Barbara Holden and Virginia Hess picked up enough garbage around both sides of Quito and Bicknell roads in Saratoga the morning of Saturday, Aug. 24 to fill two large plastic bags shown in the photo accompanying this post.

Asked why they participated in the service project, Holden wrote: “Because no one else does it, it looks awful, and increases crime (broken window theory).”

Hess is Holden’s neighbor and the women have lived in Los Gatos for about 20 years. They said they’ve been picking up trash around the three towns, Los Gatos, Saratoga and Monte Sereno for two years going out every month or two.

According to Holden, the property owners who live near the areas they clean up are supposed to remove the garbage.

Holden said she’s tried talking to Monte Sereno officials about the garbage, but has not been successful.

“We don't keep it spotless, but we are the only ones picking up trash on that road (Quito),” Holden said. “The number of liquor bottles is truly disturbing. There is drug paraphernalia also, but not very much, unless you count the little zip locks for medicinal marijuana, and that's more over by the park.”

Said Hess about the garbage being removed: “The amount of alcohol bottles is disturbing. Lots of little vodka ones plus energy drinks (I hear a favorite mixer) and also large glass beer bottles seem to be a favorite on one specific spot of Quito.

“The cigarettes of choice are Marlboro. Starbucks and Burger King are other favorites. Then, we get weird stuff like last weekend … a pair of men’s pants. Saturday and Sunday mornings are when we see a lot of the alcohol and food trash. Sometimes it is just thrown in the middle of the street.”


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