HAMPDEN – For more than 20 years, Hampden has counted on volunteers from groups such as the boy scouts, girl scouts, Lion’s Club and the local VFW to spruce up the town’s roadsides during the annual Adopt a Road campaign in the spring.

    But this year, it seems individual residents are interested in getting into the act.

    According to Pam Courtney, secretary for the Board of Selectmen, someone recently posted an event on 01036 The Hampden Massachusetts Occasional Facebook page about the annual cleanup – slated this year for May 13.  Titled “Hampden Green Up Day,” the event invites fellow residents to  “join us for a day of getting to know our neighbors and making our town look beautiful.”

    Courtney said the Selectmen are thrilled to potentially have more volunteers turning out for the project, which helps spruce up the town for the annual Memorial Day Parade.

    “Knowing that the town is already doing it [on that date] it seems an easy match to get everyone to participate. We’re excited. We’ll take all the help we can get,” she said.

    As the Facebook event indicates, Courtney said the Selectmen will be providing gloves and bags for trash collection, and she indicated the Selectmen’s Office is also willing to coordinate individuals into work parties for specific areas.

    “We’ll try to get everybody in a group to work with, and to walk together,” she said.

    Interested individuals should call Courtney at 566-2151 ext. 100 or email her at  selectmen@hampden.org to sign up. They can also join through the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/405116289863004/

    She said the rain date for this year’s event would be May 20.