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WHEREAS, each year, Allegheny Cleanways, a local nonprofit that works to engage and empower people to eliminate illegal dumping and littering in Allegheny County, recognizes outstanding volunteers who have dedicated their time and talents to Allegheny Cleanways' projects by honoring them with "Volunteer of the Year" awards; and,
WHEREAS, two particular volunteers, Eli Thomas and Chad Stewart, stood out this year for their work on the DumpBusters program, in which a small crew of trained volunteers and staff remove the most severe illegal dumpsites, often on challenging slopes; and,
WHEREAS, Eli and Chad were the motivating force behind the removal of 2,755 tires from the deep Edgebrook Avenue ravine. Almost every Saturday morning in the winter of 2013-2014, Eli and Chad could be found in the ravine chopping tires out of the ice, moving tires up slopes, and merrily creating tire stacks that weighed in the thousands of pounds; and,
WHEREAS, Eli and Chad were leaders on the DumpBusters crew - always faithful, always hard-working, never taking any breaks, and working to involve the community in the cleanup. They helped and mentored other volunteers, when needed, and generally went above and beyond the work of the average volunteer; and,
WHEREAS, Eli Thomas moved to Brookline six years ago. Eli became concerned about the dumping along Edgebrook Avenue and in the ravine and determined to do something about it. Eli graduated from Edinboro University with a degree in environmental science. He is currently employed by Allegheny County as a Systems Engineer - GIS, and;
WHEREAS, Chad Stewart is a former Beechview resident. Chad earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Edinboro University. He works as an account manager, and likes to hike, bike, kayak, and watch cartoons; and,
WHEREAS, Both Eli and Chad have stuck with DumpBusters after tire work at the ravine was completed. They have helped remove many other dump sites across the city, and...
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