In the Works - Community Newsletter In the Works September 2017 | Page 34

Home Sweep Home
Longtime Portola resident
Mike Goff spends his
weekday mornings giving
back to the feels-like-a-
small-town neighborhood
he’s called home for more
than five decades. and other trash that sullies
the urban landscape.
Goff can be found sweeping
litter from the sidewalk,
cleaning tree basins and
helping troubleshoot graffiti
vandalism and broken
street furniture along San
Bruno Avenue, the Portola
neighborhood’s main
commercial corridor, between
Silver Avenue and Wayland
Street, on the southeast side
of town. He began his stint with
Public Works about 10
years ago. Prior to that, he
cultivated his passion for
serving his community at
the San Francisco League
of Urban Gardeners, better
known as SLUG. The local
nonprofit teaches residents
the importance of community
gardens and open space
maintenance, while providing
workforce development
opportunities for people with
little job experience.
Bright and early Tuesday
through Friday, the Public
Works employee puts on
his safety vest and grabs a
broom and trash can and
heads to work where he helps
maintain the cleanliness
and safety of sidewalks
fronting many local homes
and businesses. He scoops
up discarded coffee cups,
apple cores, wind-blown
newspapers, cigarette butts
He waves to the merchants
and the bus drivers.
Neighborhood regulars give
him a friendly nod hello.
Next time you’re strolling
through your neighborhood’s
commercial districts, stop and
get to know the dedicated
men and women who wake
up every day to keep our
City looking great. Everyone
has a story to tell – it's just a
matter of who’s going to stop
and listen.