ALTON - Dave and Mary Eckhouse of Alton not only benefit their heart and lungs with daily walks but since the COVID-19 crisis started, they have been collecting trash on College Avenue down to Bloomer Drive and also a block on Orchard Boulevard.
The couple's efforts have made the area look much better, Mary Eckhouse said.
Dave Eckhouse has spent much of his life doing community service work. He is a retired Alton firefighter and also worked for the state as a fire inspector. Mary Eckhouse worked at both Marquette Catholic and the Alton school systems until she retired four years ago to spend more time with her grandchildren.
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Mary said for her and Dave, their family and community mean everything. Dave Eckhouse has picked up trash on the streets in Alton for years.
"Dave and I have a really good marriage and during this time alone, it made me realize how lucky we are to have that type of marriage," she said. "I can't imagine not being with him. How fortunate I am to have him. We have been picking up trash on our walks for about four weeks now. I wish others in the community would adopt a block or couple blocks. It would make an amazing difference."
Mary Eckhouse said it takes about an hour or an hour and a half to finish their walk/trash pickup. She said it has become one of her favorite parts of the week.
Most of all, Mary enjoys this time with her husband. One afternoon during the COVID-19 pandemic to pass time, she and Dave danced around the kitchen like it was 1965 and put it on Facebook. Mary said she enjoyed the response she received from people from the Facebook dancing post.
Dave and Mary are certainly making the best of Gov. Pritzker’s stay-home order.
“I think this time has made everyone appreciate family more,” Mary Eckhouse said.
