DUNDALK, Md. — A volunteer-run community cleanup crew in Dundalk is asking for help repairing the truck at the center of its operations.
The 1990 Ford truck is the backbone of Clean Bread and Cheese Creek, an all-volunteer organization founded by John Long. Long funds all of the group's projects himself.
"This truck is pretty much the only workhorse for both volunteer efforts, for both cleanup as well as for Toys for Tots. We use this winch here to pull large objects out of the stream, shopping carts, things that are buried, couches. You never know what you're going to find in there," Long said.
Dundalk community cleanup volunteer seeks help repairing the truck that powers his work
The group cleans up parks, ponds, and monuments across the Dundalk community.
"We clean up as much as we can around in the Dundalk community. We started out with Bread and Cheese Creek, hence the name. We clean up several small parks and ponds in the area, and we also clean up all of the monuments to Dundalk's fallen every year around [the] 4th of July," Long said.
Recently, the truck's motor went out. Repairs are estimated to cost between $5,000 and $7,000.
"It only has 33,000 miles on it because it came from a farm, so it's pretty much just the engine that's wrong with it. We were estimated between $5000 and $7000 is what it would cost, which is a lot cheaper than buying another vehicle or even a used vehicle, especially for a truck that's in this good of shape," Long said.
Long hopes to get the truck running before the Toys for Tots season gets into full swing. He is one of the highest-collecting Toys for Tots volunteers in the state.
