To the editor:

The Oct. 17 litter sweep completed five years of our litter awareness campaign and our collective efforts are proving to be a visible success. Every year we are finding less litter to remove. Many of our residents are making it clear they want to live in a clean environment.

The Hilltop Community Development Corp. would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the key players who pulled together to make a difference on our hilltop. We appreciate your efforts and encourage you to continue. Together, we've made a difference.

Our appreciation goes to Erol Hosdil, Rick Yanch and Nicole Smith, LaBelle coordinators, and Carlotta Jordan, Pleasant Height coordinator. Thanks to volunteer groups, including Franciscan University of Steubenville Students Association Community Outreach; Franciscan University of Steubenville Students in Free Enterprise; the university's Alpha Phi Delta; Steubenville Municipal Judge Dan Spahn and Mark Stacy, coordinator of the court's community service program; and the Y-Teens and Key Club at Steubenville High School.

Our thanks to the city leaders who provided financial support or provisions for our volunteer luncheon: 1st Ward Councilman Gerald DiLoreto and 3rd Ward Councilman Greg Metcalf, who made generous donations; 2nd Ward Councilman Rick Perkins for hot dogs; Maryland Market and Mr. and Mrs. Nick Tsouris for quenching everyone's thirst; and Downtown Bakery and Rikki Kamarados for the delicious deserts.

Thanks to the city officials and Joe DeSantis and his crew for trash bags and subsequent pick-up, and Diane Julio and Louise Holiday of Keep Jefferson County Beautiful for the banner, gloves and trash bags.

Thanks also to Tony DiCarlantonio and Rick Yanch for volunteer litter truck collection, and luncheon coordinator Carlotta Jordan and cook Dave Price.

Also helping were CDC board members, Delores Wiggins, Ed Quinn, Erol Hosdil and Barb Wilinski, for flier distribution, and those who passed out fliers, including Janet Neiderhuber, Julie Blanton Margaret Lowry, Sara DiCarlantonio and the university students.

Thanks to Beth Wood of the Steubenville Convention and Visitors Bureau for the rain gear.

Our heartfelt thanks for the public announcements go the Herald-Star, WOGH-FM and WSTV-AM; Chris Petrossi, Urban Projects director, and Keith Murdock of Trinity Health System for the generous number of fliers; and Mike Bauman for providing a nice, warm place (McKinley School) for the appreciation luncheon.

We wish we could eliminate litter entirely, but focusing on ways to minimize it has show to produce great results.

Our success is due largely to our membership, property owners, good landlords and city leaders who truly care about everyone's future. Our success is due to the residents who are dedicated to putting forth the effort and setting examples by picking up any litter or trash around their block, not only for themselves, but for their neighbors. Our volunteers pride themselves in giving their community a had and possess the insight for preserving and protecting the environment.

When we all work together, much can be accomplished. A sincere thank you to all who had made this project a success.

Teresa DiCarlantonio

President, Hilltop

Community Development

Corp.