Don’t blow it, Idaho: Clean up yards of those who can’t at Rake-Up Nampa

As the weather turns and the seasons change, so do the leaves. Soon we are blessed with a collage of trees displaying fiery reds, burnt oranges and warm golds. Then before we know it, all those colors have fallen, blanketing our yards, patios and driveways.

And then it’s time for that inevitable swap — storing the mower and bustin’ out the rake. Just when we thought yard work was done for the year, Mother Nature comes through and gives us another daunting task.

Raking is a workout, regardless of how fit you are. The constant bending over, transferring leaves from pile to can/bag is so tedious. And if you have a huge yard, as I do, forget about it. After a day of raking, you are one with the couch that evening — ice pack on your back and a bottle of ibuprofen clutched in your hand.

The end result does make the backbreaking work totally worth it though — that pristine lawn.

It’s definitely doable as a one-person job, but much smarter tackled as a team.

And teams are what are needed for this year’s Rake-Up Nampa event, scheduled for Nov. 12. Volunteers will spend a couple of hours cleaning up the yard of a senior or disabled resident who is unable to do the work themselves.

So round up your friends, family and co-workers, and fill out an application at cityofnampa.us/161/Rake-Up-Nampa. The deadline to organize a team is Nov. 1.

For those interested in applying for assistance to have their yard cleaned up, residents must:

▪ be at least 60 years of age or disabled (no age limitation, but all other criteria apply);

▪ be unable to rake their own property;

▪ live within Nampa city limits.

Fill out an application at cityofnampa.us/161/Rake-Up-Nampa by Oct. 28 to have your yard taken care of.

For questions or more information, call 208-468-5430 or email bothwella@cityofnampa.us.