On the morning of Saturday, April 4, the east side of Pagosa Springs witnessed a peculiar and powerful sight: a fleet of more than 20 women dressed in colorful tutus and costumes, armed with trash pickers and a mission of stewardship.
This wasn’t just a costume parade; it was the inaugural TrashBash, a WomenConnect initiative designed to bring women together to pitch in and clean up the riverfront and high-traffic areas near the town’s east-side entrance.
The group spent two hours tackling the litter that had accumulated along the riverfront and in our shared spaces. We collected several dozen bags filled with abandoned tents and clothes, paper and plastic debris, and even a full set of golf clubs.
Why we did it
Yes, it can be frustrating to collect litter left by others. If we each cared about our land just a little bit more, we could make a significant difference.
But, these women showed up for the landscape they love and left with an immense sense of pride that comes from taking direct action to protect our beautiful mountain home.
A community partnership
The success of the day was made possible with the generous support of the Town of Pagosa Springs.
The town provided high-visibility vests, trash pickers and heavy-duty trash bags. Furthermore, town crews were on standby to immediately collect the several dozen full bags as soon as we finished.
Looking forward
The TrashBash is more than a onetime event; it is a living roadmap for future town stewardship.
WomenConnect plans to partner and host more cleanup sessions across different areas of Pagosa Springs. We invite you to join us for future events. Whether you come in a tutu or your more comfortable trash-picking gear, your participation helps us maintain our beautiful town.
For more information about future WomenConnect and TrashBash events, email pswomenconnect@gmail.com or text (214) 415-2952.
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