The opportunities for community service in Suffolk are plentiful, and all of them are worthy. But few offer the chance to see such an immediate impact quite like a litter cleanup.

Folks who participate in the “Meet Up and Clean Up” event on Feb. 24 will be making a noticeable difference in the beauty of our city with every squeeze of the litter grabber. They’ll be able to cut a path across downtown and look at the clean landscape behind them with a full trash bag and a sense of satisfaction.

The litter cleanup will meet at Morgan Memorial Library at 10 a.m. that Saturday. Groups will head throughout downtown and aim to cover as much ground as possible.

Litter Control Coordinator Wayne Jones said that community cleanups last year rounded up 40,000 pounds of trash.

That much litter clogging city streets, drainage systems and rivers and ruining our beautiful landscapes is shameful. It is bad for residents, bad for tourism, bad for business and most of all bad for wildlife and the environment.

Fortunately, however, for everyone willing to carelessly toss trash aside rather than placing it in a proper receptacle, there are many who are willing to take part of their Saturday to pick it up.

We encourage everyone who is able, especially high school students, to participate in this event. Public school students can get their community service hours required for graduation, and it’s in close proximity to many students, so transportation shouldn’t be an issue.