MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- More than 35 Station residents teamed up with local residents to cleanup nearby Otake City Park April 5.
Station Girl Scouts and Boy Scout troops traveled with Marines from various units to pick up trash in the park's riverbed, but the benefit was not only for the environment.
"We get to show the Japanese community we care about the environment on and off base," said Paul Hudson, Station environmental trainer. "It teaches them we're not just here as the military, but we've come to live here, and treat it like it's our home."
Located at the base of a dam, the park has picturesque waterfalls and tide pools, surrounded by trees packed together with small trails between.
"The park is close to the base," said Hudson. "A lot of people from the Station like to come out here to go camping, hiking, or play in the water. It's a great place for families."
Although the environment and local community benefited from the cleanup, the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts also received something for their efforts.
"The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts earn badges for community involvement," said Hudson. "And something like this gives them ideas of places to go as a troop."
While there, the scouts had many opportunities to see things that would make them want to return.
"The best part was when we went to the top and saw the town," said Nick Albia, 10, member of Boy Scout Troop 47. "We were really high, so we couldn't see a lot of people, and we couldn't see Iwakuni because it was behind a hill."
Hudson hopes the children learned something from cleaning up after others.
"We picked up a trash bag full of trash that was really old," said Albia. "It made me feel kind of sick. I think that people should take care of the park and their trash better."
"The kids are the future," said Hudson. "If we teach them the right thing to do, they'll keep doing it. If we don't give them the right mindset, things will only get worse. It's the right thing to do, and it's right to pass it on to our kids."
Although children at the cleanup understood the lesson of keeping the environment clean, they also learned what they are doing is for the entire community.
"I went to make the park clean for other people when they go," said Albia. "That way, we can have a nice place to go."