Volunteers help clean up around the Glenwood neighborhood

PANAMA CITY, Fla. ( WMBB ) — The United Way of Northwest Florida kicked off the first of two “Days of Caring” in the Glenwood community.

Volunteers spent the morning picking up trash around the neighborhoods. Panama City officials also pitched in. City crews were out to pick up the garbage items off the side of the road that volunteers collected and a city street sweeper cleaned up some of the neighborhood roads.

Glenwood is still battling the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, with damaged or abandoned properties increasing the amount of litter.

Florida Power & Light sponsored the event.

“Anything that’s unsightly and whether it’s just trash from the side of the streets or anything that’s maybe in the right of way or just on someone’s property that just doesn’t look sideways, so we just want to kind of clean it up and make it beautiful to represent the beauty that’s within this city,” FPL Senior External Affairs and United Way Board Member Shane Boyett said.

“There is no better definition of living united than gathering with your partners, your business partners, community partners, nonprofit partners, and community to come together for the greater good. And today, that greater good is cleaning up this beautiful neighborhood,” United Way of Northwest Florida President & CEO Gina Littleton said.

The second day of caring in Glenwood takes place on Saturday with more trash pickups at Macedonia Baptist Church. There’s also a beach cleaning-up day near the Russell Fields City Pier. Click here to learn more about the events.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.