FERRIDAY — Even though the garden club would like to see the town named cleanest city, the real goal of today’s city-wide cleanup in Ferriday is just that — to clean up the town.

Even though the weather might not permit everything on the cleanup to-do list, don’t let that stop you from coming out, said Dianne Watson, who is heading up the effort for the Ferriday Garden Club.

The cleanup is a joint effort between the garden club and the town that started after the club entered the town in the Cleanest City Contest.

It is slated to be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it will begin at the depot park near the post office on First Street.

“If it is raining at 9 a.m. and it clears up at 10 a.m., come at 10,” Watson said. “Whatever time anyone is willing to give us we will take.”

The group will hand out assignments at the depot, and those who wish to participate should bring their own garden tools.

The wet weather may hinder some efforts, like grass cutting, but the group will try to do what they can, Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin said.

“If nothing else, we can maybe get out and pick up, trim limbs or pick up limbs off the ground,” McGlothin said.

And there is plenty that can be done, Watson said.

“We had a visit from the head of the cleanest city program for the district, and she did a drive through and pointed out lots of areas that need to be addressed,” she said. “We are going in it with a good heart and giving it our best effort.”

The cleanup efforts have been going on since January, and have focused on more than just litter. One of its aims is to get rid of things like abandoned cars and refrigerators, Watson said.

“It is getting rid of things you have not even noticed are there because you are so used to seeing them,” Watson said.

But the cleanup is also about finding things — things like sidewalks.

“We have dug out several sidewalks that were down in areas that people forgot had sidewalks,” McGlothin said. “They just kept getting covered up and covered up and covered up.”

The town has also placed two Dumpsters near E.E. Wallace Boulevard to allow people to clean out their properties even if they can’t take part in the cleanup.

But it would be great if everyone would get involved, McGlothin said.

“I wish everybody would come out and help us,” he said. “It is not just about the cleanest city contest, it is the fact that we are cleaning our city. We are not just trying to win a contest, but we want to have pride in our town.”