As a Friday night of revelry transforms into a quiet Saturday morning, a ragtag group of Fremonsters hit the streets in downtown Fremont. Outfitted with gloves, trash grabbers, and bags, the self-described Seattle Scooper Sonics have kept the central Fremont stretch of North 36th Street looking clean for the past seven years.
The Scoopers have been meeting every other week since their founding, and the origin story is a nuanced one, according to Caroline Sayre, co-founder of the group. She’s also a member of the Fremont Neighborhood Council board and Citizen University; an all around community connector.
“I had wanted to find a way to help folks living in RVs and homeless on the street, and I couldn’t really find a way to do that without feeling like I was objectifying people,” she said.
She wanted to be visible to other people in the neighborhood and thought picking up litter would be a win-win: connect with the community and keep it clean in the process.
“It’s getting to know folks who live in the neighborhood, who may be unhoused, who may show up just for lunch,” she said. “So I thought maybe that was a more organic way of looking out for people.”
Sayre first ventured out on her own to pick up litter in 2017 but soon met Ron Wilhelm at an annual litter pickup event at Patrick’s Place on Aurora Avenue in Fremont in 2018.
“I don’t know how we figured it out, but we really enjoy garbage,” she said.
Wilhelm moved to Fremont 13 years ago from Atlanta and wanted to live within walking distance of his job. “That’s how I picked Fremont, but I think Fremont picked me instead,” he said. “I tell people that I live in the best neighborhood in one of the best cities in the country.”
Wilhelm and his partner Gary’s love for the neighborhood led them to picking up litter on their own along the canal.
Soon after becoming acquainted, Sayre and Wilhelm started meeting bi-weekly on Saturdays at 9 a.m. for the litter patrol, and slowly other people joined along. Wilhelm would provide the supplies and then the group would fan out.
After an hour of picking up litter, the group convenes at Fremont Coffee for fellowship and storytelling. In the past, volunteers would bring their favorite piece of found litter and Wilhelm eventually created art from these pieces. One piece hung in Fremont Coffee until a recent remodel.
The longevity of the group demonstrates the power of showing up, of connection and community, doing something easy but meaningful.
“We’ve met tons of people and so it’s great,” he said. “People are thankful…random people have bought us coffee and had things waiting for us at the coffee shop.” The group has also received support from local businesses.
Besides work and keeping the Scoopers going, Wilhelm is also a Burke-Gilman Trail Forest Steward and a volunteer with Green Seattle Partnership. His volunteer spirit and love of community lends a steadiness to the group that is very loosely organized.
“I love that people ebb and flow with it, no pressure,” he said. “If it gets done, it gets done. The trash will be there waiting on us one way or another.”
People of all ages are welcome to join the Seattle Scooper Sonics every other Saturday at 9 a.m. at Fremont Coffee Company. To be added to the mailing list, contact Dee Anna Hulbert at deeannah@mindspring.com.
Leave a Reply