The annual Philly Spring Clean-up is scheduled for April 2. Folks can volunteer for organized projects (the University City District is hosting a couple on Baltimore Avenue) or just step outside your own door and go to work for a little while.

We will try to keep track of individual projects as they are announced. If you would like to sign up to volunteer for a project go here. If you want to propose a project to attract volunteers go here. The deadline for submitting a project is March 18.

To volunteer for a project with the University City District, contact Dexter Bryant at cleanandsafe@universitycity.org or 215-243-0555 x236.

Last year 11,213 people throughout the city signed up to volunteer on 231 official project sites. More than 1.3 million pounds of trash was collected along with 139,540 pounds of recycling. Fifty parks and recreation centers and 763 city blocks were cleaned.

Mayor Michael Nutter is really into this project, so we’ll let him tell you more about it:

Our Siberian husky got out this morning between 6am and 1pm. Male with orange auburn coat, white under belly, white feet, and a black collar. If anyone happens to come across him please please please contact us 610-803-3474.

A cat has been missing for about 2 weeks in vicinity of 48th & Warrington. He is pudgy, all black, shorthair, sorry no pics available.
If you see him or catch him, call 267-974-3529.

West Philly resident John Salmon is putting together a series of free weekly, weekend ukulele workshops at his home (46th and Hazel) for kids 8-14. The first meeting will be this Sunday.

John writes:

“It’s a very fun and relatively easy instrument, and a great way to expose children to the joy of making music.”

Each child will need a ukulele. John said he will have some for sale ($25-$45), but also asks parents to consult with him before buying one as “the difference between a usable instrument and a piece of junk is not always obvious.”

John has committed to eight classes and then says he will assess how it’s going before proceeding with more classes.

For more information see John’s blog post here. E-mail him at sugarinthegourd.com — at — gmail.com.

To provide a little inspiration, here’s Jason Castro from American Idol a couple of years ago singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and playing ukulele, a performance inspired by  Israel “IZ” Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole’s version:

Funeral services will be held Saturday for Paul Brooks, a community leader in West Philadelphia who started the Clark Park Youth Soccer League, was a past president of the Friends of Clark Park and fought for legal justice for low-income Philadelphians as an attorney with Community Legal Services.

Brooks died Feb. 5 of complications from thyroid cancer, the diagnosis of which he had kept secret from most friends for years. He was 52.

The University City Review has a story about Brooks here.

The funeral will take place at the Iron Gate Theater (37th and Chestnut) beginning at 10 a.m. The burial will follow at the Woodlands Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Paul Brooks Youth Soccer Scholarship Fund. Please make checks payable to “Friends of Clark Park” with “Paul Brooks Soccer Fund” on the memo line. They can be dropped off or sent to:

Paul Brooks Soccer Fund, c/o Frank Innes, 4522 Regent Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143-3723.

If you’re hankering for a flower-related activity and you don’t feel like making the trek to Center City, Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh) might have what you’re looking for.

The Garden grounds and shop will be open for tours this week from today to March 13 to coincide with the Philadelphia International Flower Show. While you are there you can pick up some heirloom seeds at the Garden shop. Tours are available until 4 p.m.

Click here for more information.