An undefeated record means more people cramming into Peden Stadium to see the Ohio Bobcats, leaving one big mess after games — a mess Boy Scouts of America Troop 357 cleans six times a year.
For more than 15 years, Troop 357 has been collecting and recycling trash after home football games through a contract worth about $4,000 with Facilities Management, said Carl Brune, professor of physics and astronomy and assistant scoutmaster for Troop 357, of which his son is a member.
Teams of four make three rounds through Peden, picking up specific types of items each time — plastic, followed by paper and lastly, compostable trash — before loading everything into a truck that will take the trash to The Ridges to be recycled.
“All the hours the boys put in go toward expeditions and other events that are usually expensive,” said Michael Fletcher, scoutmaster of Troop 357.
Fletcher said the troop members don’t mind the trash pickup because of the events the money allows them to attend.
“It works for them financially,” he said.
The time it takes to clean up Peden depends on a variety of factors, ranging from the time games are played to the weather, said Roxanne Malé-Brune, director of Grant Development and Projects at OU and Brune’s wife.
Although scouts are paid, it is not in “real money,” said Interim Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones, whose sons, Bryan, 11, and Casey, 14, are members of Troop 357.
Each scout has money directly deposited into his “Scout account,” which is used exclusively to pay for Scout camps in the summer, she said.
Malé-Brune said she believes picking up the trash teaches the Scouts organization and responsibility.
“The boys know that if they don’t show up, it’ll affect the time it takes to clean for the people who do show,” she said. “It teaches them initiative.”
The Scouts help collect about 200 pounds of plastic and cardboard after each game.
The methods of collecting trash contribute to the university’s recycling efforts, Hall-Jones said.
“It’s a strategic, methodical way of cleaning and separating recyclables from other trash,” she said. “I would never leave trash behind if I had to pick it up.”
Cleaning up trash with his mother and family is a bonding experience, said Bryan Hall-Jones.
“It’s fun sometimes; sometimes she’d tell me to pick up trash faster or pick up the pace,” Bryan said. “It’s good spending time together.”
The people who work at Peden recognize the Boy Scout Troop’s continued work on the cleanup of the stadium, said Jason Farmer, assistant Athletics director for Facilities and Operations.
“They do an impressive job and we’re thankful to have them,” Farmer said. “The relationship we have with them is beneficial to us. I am honestly impressed with how quickly and efficiently they get the things done.”
hy135010@ohiou.edu
