NEDERLAND - The Nederland breeze was particularly powerful on the morning of Saturday, June 7, 2025.

While locals began to queue in their vehicles along the side of Ridge Road, backing up all the way to the highway, volunteers up at the Nederland Transfer Station and Recycling Drop Off struggled in the wind to set up for the 2025 Town Clean-Up Day.

Tents fell, tables toppled over, and liability waiver forms blew away as members of Nederland’s staff, including many from the Parks, Streets, and Utilities Departments joined others in preparing for the event. This included Boulder County staff and volunteers from the Town’s many advisory boards, and from the community, to provide expanded recycling options for Nederland residents. 

And, as usual, the residents arrived in droves, in vehicles full to the brim with all kinds of random trash, just waiting to be picked through, sorted, and disposed of by the army of hardworking volunteers. 

Parks Department Director Nicki Dunn, who has led and organized this special day for many years, rallied her volunteers and went over safety protocols before taking a group photo. Dunn joked with the group to remind them that the spirit of the event, though it can be chaotic at times, is meant to be light and fun.

Once the gates opened, the vehicles would enter one by one, with former Town Administrator Miranda Fisher inspecting their trash and directing them to the several different stations for drop-off. Whether residents were hauling general trash or larger items like furniture, or had scrap metal and wood to unload, Fisher knew exactly where to point people, as she had several years of experience under her belt.

In addition to the dumpsters supplied specifically for the Town Clean-Up, there were also vendors in attendance that specialized in specific trash removal services, including the environmental protection group Veolia. Also present was Green Girl Recycling, a locally-based data destruction company that recycles their shredded paper rather than depositing it into a landfill.

I.T. Refresh was also present, handling the waste of electronic equipment; Resource Central offered to collect “trash” to be upcycled and reused; and Boulder County’s Hazardous Materials Management Facility helped to dispose of paint, batteries, and other dangerous and harmful materials.

Homes by Jackie Jones supplied donuts and coffee for the volunteers, as well as for the hungry residents waiting in their cars all the way down Ridge Road. Nederland’s Sustainability Coordinator Cass Grady also went from vehicle to vehicle, handing out home supplies that promote sustainable living, all while Boulder County Sheriff’s Office deputies monitored the traffic situation. 

Every year, from 8 a.m. to roughly 10:30 a.m., community members show up in force and, either by volunteering or by showing up with a decent haul, work together to keep Nederland clean.  

A very special thanks goes out to Nicki Dunn, to all of Town staff, to the workers and volunteers from Boulder County, and to the community volunteers who all rose to the occasion and helped to make the 2025 Town Clean-Up Day a safe, fun, and successful experience.