Need things picked up and cleaned up around the outside of your business or parking area? Michael Cooper of Stand On Your Ground does just that! Because of his contribution to making Downtown Medford clean and inviting, we have chosen Michael to be this month’s Featured Partner.
Michael started Stand On Your Ground in July of 2020 “because the homeless situation was kind of out of hand. I thought a private business would be easier to get going than a non-profit because of the costs and the logistics of it,” said Michael.
“Since then the situation has gotten better because we have more resources to help with the homeless – Rogue Retreat, Compass House, On Track, and an expanded Livability Team have vastly improved the situation by dealing with substance abuse, mental health, and housing issues,” added Michael.
Litter and mess, homeless caused or not – businesses need help cleaning up their areas. “I wanted to do this at a reasonable price so businesses would be able to afford my services,” said Michael. Michael will check your area daily and clean up anything needed or you can call him on a particular day for a particular cleanup.
Michael has regular clients in downtown and elsewhere in Medford, paying $10 – $15 per day for early morning check and minor cleanup. His rate for a particular job is $30 per hour and he will even do a dump run if you pay the dump charge. And . . . he is very skilled at graffiti removal on all kinds of surfaces.
What did Michael do before starting Stand On Your Ground? He has lived in Medford since 1979 and was a commercial fisherman in Alaska during the summer months. He did long line deep sea fishing for salmon, halibut, and crab in the Petersburg and Sitka areas for 15 years. He and his wife Susan had Rogue Valley Fresh Seafood in Central Point from 2000 – 2016. They had seafood flown into PDX and then brought down to Central Point by refrigerated truck. Susan also worked as a Hospice Coordinator for Providence for 25 years. They both contribute further to our community by volunteering as Neighborhood Coordinators for the Medford Food Project – picking up the Green Bags and delivering them to the food bank.
Michael says, “DMA is doing a very good positive thing with Power Hours, Flower Baskets, and Holiday Lights. It helps when the town looks nice and presentable. It is more inviting and gets more people here to patronize our small businesses.”