EPHRATA — The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will be conducting a community clean-up and beautification event May 18 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. 

Volunteers will be cleaning parking lots and sidewalks, picking up garbage and pulling weeds along Basin Street from Second Avenue SW to Second Avenue NW — from Les Schwab Tires to just before Tequila’s Mexican restaurant —during the event. 

Those wishing to help should plan to meet up at Rock Park — 32 Basin St. NW — shortly before the clean-up starts and are encouraged to bring gloves and push brooms. 

The chamber has also purchased wine barrels that are cut in half to serve as planters along this section of the street and Walmart’s Ephrata location has donated flowers for those planters. Businesses that accept a planter will need to water and maintain them. Business owners are asked to contact Ephrata Chamber President Jenni Bates at 509-398-1173 if they do not wish to have a planter placed at their business. The planters will replace trees that have recently been removed and are intended to beautify downtown.