Fruitland Heights Comes Together for our Third Annual Neighborhood Cleanup 2026!
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
What a wonderful weekend for Fruitland Heights! Our annual neighborhood cleanup brought together 14 volunteers who rolled up their sleeves to help make our community cleaner, safer, and even more beautiful.
A huge thank you goes to Nick, a Fruitland Heights resident and owner of Alpha Movers (alphamovers.co), who arrived with his truck and hauled away all of the tree trimmings from Thursday night's neighborhood brush work session. Having his truck made an enormous difference and helped us tackle a project that would have been nearly impossible otherwise.
One of the best parts of the day was seeing support come from beyond our neighborhood. Natanya, who recently moved from Hawaii to Gulfport for an internship with the Tampa Bay Times, spotted one of our cleanup signs and decided to join us. Tom Ballard, a neighboring property owner in Mel-Tan Heights who provides real estate analysis for local homeowners through Tom Ballard Analytics (tomballardanalytics.com), also stopped by to lend a hand. It's always encouraging to see neighboring communities supporting one another.
We were also joined by some familiar faces. Longtime Fruitland Heights resident Adrianne spent two hours picking up litter alongside Jared, a local teacher and returning volunteer from last year's cleanup. Adrianne celebrated her neighborhood pride by purchasing one of our Fruitland Heights garden flags—a great reminder that caring for our neighborhood doesn't end when the cleanup is over.
One of the day's sweetest moments came when Natalie, a nurse, stopped by with her mom Zannie after Natalie had just finished a 12-hour shift at 10 a.m. They came to cheer everyone on and offer encouragement. Zannie, a lifelong Fruitland Heights resident, shared memories of neighborhood cleanups from years ago, when everyone would donate trash bags and pitch in together. While they were there, they even took advantage of the neighborhood dumpster to clear out a few things they'd been meaning to get rid of.
No community event is complete without good food! Paul's homemade egg bites were a huge hit (my little cooler did a great job keeping them warm), and every volunteer went home with a Keep Pinellas Beautiful T-shirt. We're incredibly grateful for Keep Pinellas Beautiful's partnership and support, which helped make the event such a success.
One of my favorite things to notice after the cleanup was that the energy spread beyond our official work areas. Several neighbors seemed inspired to tackle yard work and tidying projects they'd been putting off. The entire neighborhood looks brighter, cleaner, and more cared for.
Perhaps most exciting were all the people who told us, "Let me know when you do this again!" Others wanted to participate but already had plans that day. So instead of waiting another year...
Introducing: Centennial Summer Saturdays!
Because this is Fruitland Heights' Centennial Year, we're keeping the momentum going with Centennial Summer Saturdays.
Every Saturday from 8:00–9:30 a.m., July 11 through August 22, we'll tackle just one small section of the neighborhood. Our focus will be edging curbs and sidewalks, clearing dirt left behind from last year's hurricanes, and making sure our sidewalks remain accessible for everyone.
By taking on just one block each week, we can give our entire neighborhood a makeover before school starts—without asking too much of any one volunteer. I can't think of a better way to celebrate 100 years of Fruitland Heights than by working together to care for the place we all call home.
Alley Wide Pride
We're also excited to announce the beginning of a new initiative: Alley Wide Pride.
Our goal is to keep our alleys clean, welcoming, and free of litter while celebrating local creativity. We're planning to install artistic signs designed by local artists to encourage everyone to help care for our shared spaces.
If you're an artist—or know someone who is—we'd love to hear from you! Please email fruitlandheightsna@gmail.com or message Alexis at 646-239-7464.
Centennial Homes Project
As part of our Centennial celebration, we're also launching a Centennial Homes blog series! Throughout the year, I'll be interviewing neighbors who live in homes that are 100 years old or older, sharing the history of the houses, the families who have cared for them, and what makes them special. It's a wonderful way to preserve the stories that make Fruitland Heights unique.
So far Velda, Sam, and I have signed up to participate, and we'd love to feature many more homes. If your home is 100 years old—or you think it might be—please reach out. We'd love to tell your home's story!
Helping Homeowners Improve Their Homes
Another Centennial initiative is connecting eligible homeowners with City of St. Petersburg façade improvement grants. If you own and live in your home and your household income is below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), you may qualify for financial assistance to improve your home's exterior. If you've been thinking about painting, repairing, or sprucing up your home's façade, this could be a great opportunity. You can check the current income limits and eligibility requirements here:
As we celebrate 100 years of Fruitland Heights, we'd love to see as many homes as possible looking their very best.
Thank you again to Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Alpha Movers (alphamovers.co), Tom Ballard Analytics (tomballardanalytics.com), every volunteer who picked up trash or trimmed brush, every neighbor who stopped by to cheer us on, and everyone who continues to take pride in Fruitland Heights.
Together, we're not just cleaning up our neighborhood—we're preserving our history, investing in our future, and building a stronger community.
Comments