Meet the woman on a mission to brighten her community by picking up trash

By Madeleine Wright

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    DELAWARE COUTNY, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A retired bookkeeper is on a mission to clean up her community.

Christina Koronkiewicz, 54, spends up to six hours a day picking up litter in Prospect Park, Ridley Park and Norwood.

“I really like it,” Koronkiewicz said. “I enjoy going around and, you know, making things nicer for everybody.”

It all started in 2022. Koronkiewicz was looking for loose change on the ground to donate to her favorite charity, but instead of cash, she found trash.

“Some of the worst things I’ve found, I’ve found plastic bottles filled with urine,” Koronkiewicz said. “I’ve found used condoms. I’ve found needles.”

The work isn’t easy, but it doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I admire what you do,” Andre Quinn from Prospect Park told Koronkiewicz. “Because that made me start cleaning up in Tinicum.”

Koronkiewicz even sets an example for the little ones. Five-year-old Luna Denner takes a plastic grocery bag with her on every walk after seeing Koronkiewicz do the same.

“I kind of like picking up trash because … I just like it,” Luna said.

So far this year, Koronkiewicz has picked up 830 bags of trash. She’s planning to donate the more than $700 she has found to a nonprofit called Save the Frogs.

“I think it’s a great story, and she does a great thing and inspires a lot of people,” Save the Frogs founder Kerry Kriger said.

Koronkiewicz is proud to lead a growing movement.

“The more people get help out and go around and pick up trash, it’s just better for the community,” Koronkiewicz said.

The war on trash is never-ending, but Koronkiewicz is doing what she can to create a better environment for everyone.

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