Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

Running Numbers gets its hands dirty. And then it sticks those dirty hands up a puppet.

2,500,000 Number of pounds of trash — along with 48,000 pounds of recyclable materials — that were removed from 3,500 blocks, 71 commercial corridors, 28 rec centers and 27 Fairmount Park sites during last year's Philly Spring Cleanup, making it the largest one-day, citywide cleanup in U.S. history. The second annual cleanup will take place on April 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit phillycleanup.com for details and cleanup locations. We'll probably be done by 1, since we kept the city pretty tidy this year, right?

$15,000 Maximum individual grant amount awarded by YOUTHadelphia — the Youth Advisory Committee of the Philadelphia Foundation's Fund For Children — to youth-oriented projects that provide Philly teens with opportunities to build youth leadership. The deadline to apply for a portion of YOUTHadelphia's $100,000 in funds is April 10 at 5 p.m. Visit greatsettlements.org/YOUTHadelphia.page for details. I hope I've made it clear that this is not for the older folk.

432 Number of googly eyes, according to organizers, that will be made available to those who attend "Make Your Own Sock Puppet Sunday" on April 5 from 1 to 11 p.m. at Tattooed Mom's, 530 South St. Colored feathers, pom-poms and pipe cleaners will also be provided. Or you can use all the weird stuff you found on cleanup day. Gross.

26 Number of cities that participated in last year's World Pillow Fight Day — not including Philadelphia. Philly pillow fighter hopefuls will aim to change that this year on April 4 at 3 p.m. at an as-of-yet undisclosed Center City location. Visit stealthyelephantphilly.blogspot.com for details. Foam and cotton pillows only, please. Save your feathers for the sock puppets.

8 Number of pieces of artwork by members of the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers artist group that will be on display during the month of April along with the "aMAZEing" Styrofoam maze that they've built at the Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic. If I offended any Dumpster Divers with my comment about the inappropriateness of using trash to make a sock puppet, I apologize. My sock puppet also apologizes. My mouth is not moving.

Hey ... can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number-runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com.