The Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance will kick off its community cleanup and receive a statewide honor for its downtown beautification efforts on the morning of Saturday, March 29.
The alliance, which is also celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is set to receive the Community Pride Award from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful at a special event at 10 a.m. at its office at 228 East Lincoln Highway in the city’s downtown.
Immediately afterward, the organization will host a day-long community cleanup in Coatesville. Residents, families, business owners, and others are invited to volunteer to clean up litter along city streets, sidewalks, parks, and public places.
“With the arrival of spring, it’s a great time to show our community pride by coming together to clean up and beautify our downtown business districts in Coatesville and throughout Chester County and Pennsylvania,” said state Senator Carolyn Comitta. “As the city’s community revitalization continues to grow, working to ensure the downtown is clean, safe, and welcoming is pivotal to attracting visitors, driving investment, and preserving its character and sense of place.”
“Keep Coatesville Beautiful represents more than just a cleanup effort—it’s a movement to foster pride, resilience, and unity in our community. We’re dedicated to creating spaces where residents feel empowered, inspired, and connected. Through collaboration and grassroots action, we can ensure Coatesville reflects the strength and beauty of the people who call it home,” said Shakira Davis, Keep Coatesville Beautiful Affiliate Coordinator.
Comitta, who serves as minority chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, said she nominated the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance for the award because of its leadership in continuing to promote, harness, and inspire community pride in Coatesville.
The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship by an individual, school, community organization, or civic group that makes a commitment to litter control, recycling, or general beautification.
“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful congratulates and commends 2nd Century Alliance and Shakira Davis, Coatesville Community Coordinator and Keep Coatesville Beautiful Coordinator, for fostering a sense of community stewardship. Their efforts in bringing together state agencies, businesses, local organizations, and government officials led to a successful cleanup of Route 82 and Lincoln Highway, the main corridor through Coatesville. We are grateful to Senator Comitta and Representative Williams for recognizing and awarding their hard work. This nomination is a testament to the positive difference they continue to make in the community,” said Shannon Reiter, Executive Director of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “We encourage all public officials to recognize the essential work and the dedicated individuals who coordinate local programs that keep our communities clean and beautiful with a Community Pride Award.”
For 35 years, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has worked in all 67 counties to support community beautification efforts and properly dispose of over 155 million pounds of waste.
The Coatesville community cleanup coincides with Pick Up Pennsylvania and the month-long Great American Cleanup. Interested participants should register in advance with the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance here. Gloves, safety vests, and trash bags will be provided free of charge through PennDOT and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
The 2nd Century Alliance is a public-private partnership dedicated to driving economic and community development in the City of Coatesville. For more information on the alliance and how you can help, visit 2ndcenturyalliance.org.
