Photo courtesy of Shane Eaker
Volunteers pose for a photo after completing their work with the 2023 Hoover City Dad Brigade at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
The Hoover City Dad Brigade is back.
After taking a one-year hiatus in 2024 — the first break in its 10-year history — the annual back-to-school cleanup effort is set to return Saturday, July 12, with a focus on Hoover City Schools that include Spain Park High School, Berry Middle School and Greystone Elementary.
Volunteers are asked to arrive at their schools at 7 a.m. and typically spend several hours on tasks like spreading pine straw, pressure washing sidewalks, trimming trees and hedges and removing weeds and trash.
The tradition began in 2015 under the leadership of then–Board of Education President Derrick Murphy, who later joined the Hoover City Council. It continued every year until 2024, when Murphy opted to cancel the event due to principal changes at three Hoover schools.
Murphy said he’s excited for the effort to return and looks forward to seeing volunteers help prepare campuses for the return of students on Aug. 7.
While the event is aimed at encouraging dads to get more involved in their children’s schools, volunteers often include grandfathers, community members and boys in eighth grade and older. Many schools also see help from women in the community.
Chick-fil-A will provide breakfast at the schools, and Home Depot, a returning sponsor, is once again donating supplies for the cleanup.
Volunteers are asked to register in advance to help organizers prepare, but advance registration is not absolutely required. Register here.
