Cheney Clean Sweep offers a time to protect self, help neighbors

The annual Cheney Clean Sweep, taking place April 20 isn’t just a chance to clean up around house and lawn; it’s an opportunity to clean out sensitive records and get protection from identity theft and fraud.   

Cheney Federal Credit Union is sponsoring free document shredding through Secure Shred from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 20 at Cheney Federal Credit Union at 520 First St. Papers must be clean and free of staples and paper clips. This service will be limited to the equivalent of three grocery bags of documents per person. 

The Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. Although cyber-crime is gaining prevalence, many thieves still rely on the good old fashioned paper trail that they can pick up by simply looking through your garbage. 

Credit card and bank statements are obvious security risks, but many people forget about possible threats from junk mail. Offers from banks and credit card companies that are simply tossed in the trash may give thieves just enough information to conduct illicit activity in your name. 

Shredfest offers a more secure way to dispose of your sensitive materials than using an at-home document shredder. Many at-home units turn documents into uniform strips which can be re-assembled.  Secure Shred’s mobile truck meets U.S. Department of Defense specifications to fully “destroy” documents by slicing them into random sizes. 

In addition to shredding services, Cheney Federal Credit Union will also be accepting donations for the Cheney Food Bank during the event. 

Also during Clean Sweep the city together with Arbor Pro Lawn and Tree Company are offering special assistance to members of the community who are unable to do major yard work themselves due to age or disability. Volunteers may help with tasks like raking, pruning and removal of yard waste.

A limited number of properties can be addressed due to available resources. To nominate a friend, neighbor, or relative, please leave a detailed message with the city of Cheney at (509) 498-9334. Nominations will be accepted through April 15.

For more information on Cheney Clean Sweep visit http://www.cityofcheney.org/cleansweep.