SNOOK, Texas (KRHD) — Photos of trash covering the Snook City Park pavilion spread across Facebook, and instead of waiting for someone else to act, residents showed up to clean it up themselves.
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The pavilion is a local gathering spot where neighbors come together for events and celebrations. When photos of the area covered in trash began circulating online, residents across town were disappointed.
Alisha Sweaton, a Snook resident, came across the photos while scrolling through Facebook.
"It saddened me to see it like that," Sweaton said.
Rather than simply complaining about the mess, Sweaton decided to help. When she arrived at the park, the mess was far worse than the photos had shown.
"There were alcohol bottles, there were food remnants, just all kinds of like just little pieces of trash things like that," Sweaton said.
Trash covered the pavilion area and had blown into the surrounding grass. But while the mess frustrated neighbors, Sweaton said what stood out most was how quickly the community responded.
"The fact that so many people were willing to come out and just jump in and help, that's what Snook is about and that's what makes Snook, Snook," Sweaton said.
"We still can take pride in who we are and what we stand for, we can come together, we can get it fixed," Sweaton said.
When asked about her hopes for the park going forward, Sweaton said she wants to see the community continue to look out for one another.
"My hope for the future of this park and for Snook in general is that it becomes a community where people are safe, where they can count on each other, where they do the right thing, where they take pride in where they live," Sweaton said.
15 ABC reached out to the City of Snook about the pavilion and who is responsible for maintenance. The city said it is generally up to the people using the pavilion to clean up and take care of trash afterward, and that it appreciates the community members who stepped in to help keep the park clean.
"That's going to happen no matter where you're at. I think the important part is how you deal with it," Sweaton said.
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