Ron Thompson did more than whine and complain about Superior last week; he took a stand.
On Tuesday morning, he read a post on a Facebook page called "I want to whine and complain about Superior." It was from a woman who reported seeing discarded needles at a city park. Someone else suggested a citizen cleanup, and Thompson volunteered to go that afternoon.
"I heard it and it's like, you know what, you've got to do something," he said.
Thompson drove from his Itasca neighborhood home to downtown Superior at noon, armed with gloves and a coffee can. Pulling up to the park at North 18th Street and Oakes Avenue, he saw a used needle and orange cap near the parking area. Four young children were using the playground.
"Actions speak louder than words," Thompson said. "Let's do it."
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He picked up the needle and cap, then walked a slow circuit around the park. No more needles were found.
Thompson has a 6-year-old grandchild who enjoys spending time at Superior parks.
"Look at this," he said, gesturing toward the needle. "What would happen if that was ... I mean, it just drove me crazy."
Discarded needles haven't been a big problem in Superior.
"We have had a few calls of them over the years, not a lot," said Community Policing Officer Bonnie Beste of the Superior Police Department.
Finding a needle in a city park is even more rare.
"In my 20-year career, I've had one call of that nature," said Mary Morgan, Superior parks, recreation and forestry director.
With the areawide increase in heroin use, Beste said, it's possible there could be an increase in the number of needles found in the city.
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Needles must be disposed of properly in a sharps needle container. Such receptacles can be found in bathrooms in many public buildings and offices.
Beste urged anyone dealing with used needles to wear gloves and be careful not to get pricked. If someone calls the Police Department to clean up a site where there's a needle, they will do so but there's no way to follow up on where it came from. Beste encouraged residents to call 911 if they see any suspicious activity at parks or elsewhere.
One of the best ways to prevent drug use and other criminal activity at parks is to visit them often.
"More good people using parks keeps more bad people away," Beste said. "It's a good deterrent."
City crews and citizen volunteers will take part in spring cleanup efforts at Superior city parks and trails in May and June.
Thompson said he would be willing to take part in future cleanup activities at Superior parks. The 63-year-old works part time at O'Reilly Auto Parts and has a lot of time on his hands.
"Actions speak louder than words," he said. "If you talk about it and complain about it, why not do something about it?"
