Volunteers drop off bags of garbage they helped clean during a volunteer event Oct. 29 at the Sagamihara City Shindo Sports Park near Camp Zama. More than 100 volunteers worked together for the community cleanup. (Tim Flack, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs)
SAGAMIHARA CITY, Japan – More than 100 volunteers gathered Sunday at the Sagamihara City Shindo Sports Park for a community cleanup – the fourth such four-party event to help strengthen community partnerships in the last two years.
U.S. Army Garrison Japan, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces at Camp Zama, and Sagamihara and Zama cities agreed to jointly host twice-yearly cleanup events in the local community to celebrate their longstanding friendship while providing residents the chance to work together on community service.
Sunday’s event included dozens of U.S. Army in Japan community volunteers, to include Soldiers, civilians and family members. Volunteers represented multiple groups, including the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program, Zama Middle High School and Arnn Elementary School, Cub Scout Pack 34, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, among others. They joined an equal number of Japanese volunteers and city staffers for the early morning event.
From left, Zama City Mayor Mito Sato, Sagamihara City Mayor Kentaro Motomura, U.S. Army Garrison Commander Col. Marcus Hunter, and 4th Engineer Group and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Zama Commander Col. Kenji Honda work shoulder to shoulder cleaning the Sagamihara City Shindo Sports Park during a volunteer event there Oct. 29. (Tim Flack, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs)
