Volunteers from all 10 of Aurora's wards took part in a community clean-up over the weekend, the second citywide effort of the year. Participants said the work was a worthwhile way to spend a Saturday morning.
The event began at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora, where volunteers registered, collected supplies and met the other members of their clean-up crews.
Vivana Vargas, a resident of the 5th Ward, signed in with her two sons. She said the event "is something that is certainly worth everyone's time." Vargas, a Realtor, said she wanted her children to learn to take part in the community. "I want to bring out the kids and teach them to be social and helpful and be out there with the community and clean up," she said.
Jon Zaghloul, the city's director of communications, said before the event that officials had "great expectations for a follow-up." The initiative was launched in the spring of 2026 as a joint project of the mayor's office and the city's community engagement division. He described it as a new way to bring residents together to improve neighborhoods across all 10 wards.
Zaghloul noted that each ward alderman typically holds clean-up events, but the city had not previously coordinated one for the entire city. "This is the second event and it's a great opportunity to bring out the entire community to work together on one specific day and clean up all 10 wards," he said.
He added that the event gives neighbors a chance to get to know one another. "It provides neighbors and residents with an opportunity to get to know one another and unites everybody around a common cause," Zaghloul said.
Kathy Torres of the 1st Ward said she volunteered because of community pride. "We have to have pride and take care of it," she said, adding that the effort helps keep the community clean. Torres agreed with Zaghloul that meeting other people from her ward or neighborhood was a side benefit, saying she was looking forward to it.
Mike Donato also joined in. He lives in Palatine but works for the Aurora Fire Department. Donato said the early Saturday morning event fit his schedule and that he wanted to help the city look good. "I love working here and I want it to look nice and I wanted to do my part," he said, describing the clean-up as being about "pride in the city."
