HAMILTON, Ohio — One Hamilton business is celebrating its anniversary by trying to clean up its community.
Wraith Games, an independent game studio, has been in Hamilton for 20 years. To mark the moment, they're hosting a cleanup initiative to make their home a better place.
"Downtown Hamilton is really at the core of our being," said Jay Kidd, Wraith Games' creative director.
The business is partnering with 17Strong, an organization dedicated to strengthening Hamilton's 17 neighborhoods, to "Un-junk the Block." 17Strong will bring "The Cube," their mobile chest stocked with all the supplies (bags, gloves and more) needed to clean up the area.
The supplies are provided free of charge as part of a broader initiative by the city of Hamilton. Anyone can reserve The Cube to clean up their neighborhood or community.
"It’s a movement," 17Strong spokesperson Kat Steele said. "What we do is we do community engagement through social activities as well as community cleanups."
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The cleanup on April 13 is specific to downtown Hamilton. While many of Hamilton's neighborhoods have their own dedicated cleanup crews, residents feel that’s not always the case downtown.
"There’s no one here dedicated downtown to doing these things," Kidd said. "We live here, we work here, and we want to make sure it’s clean.”
This initiative looks to enhance Hamilton’s look and feel to continue to spur growth.
"It’s residents knowing that they can make a difference in their own community and their own neighborhood," said Dan Bates, president & CEO of the Greater Hamilton Chamber. "That’s a really powerful thing. So I think that’s where you’re seeing more and more, not only residents but businesses getting on board with that."
The event is scheduled for April 13 and will be one of three beautification events planned for 2025. If weather doesn't permit a cleanup, a makeup day is set for 2-5 p.m. the following Thursday, April 17.
