Chinatown residents welcomed help from about 300 volunteers yesterday, who blotted out graffiti and picked up trash ranging from cigarette butts to drug paraphernalia.

“;From all over the island they came,”; said 73-year-old Dolores Mollring, who heads the Downtown-Chinatown Citizens Patrol. “;It's so heartwarming and wonderful because Chinatown is my home.”;

City crews began the cleanup Friday night by removing large items, including shopping carts containing the belongings of homeless living in Chinatown, ahead of yesterday morning's police-led effort, said Sgt. Larry Santos, head of community policing in central Honolulu.

About a month ago, police began educating the homeless about laws about camping out in parks, and began enforcing the laws a couple weeks later, Santos said.

From April 19 to May 31, police issued 36 citations for shopping carts, which are illegal in city parks, as are tents. But there's no law prohibiting shopping carts or people from occupying sidewalks as long as ample space is given for pedestrians, Santos said.

Yesterday's joint effort was the second Project C.L.E.A.N. (Community Lokahi to Enrich our Aina Now), part of police Chief Louis Kealoha's initiative to reduce crime by empowering residents to take back their neighborhoods.

Police worked with a community group called the Friends of Chinatown, formed to help revitalize the area and improve Chinatown's image.

Merchants donated food, including roast suckling pig, to feed the volunteers.

Victor Nhieu, 13, who lives at Kukui Tower, spent the morning picking up trash - mostly cigarette butts. Hard work? “;Yeah, but it was fun,”; he said, smiling. He plans to spend another Saturday painting columns on River Street.

While picking up trash, police Officer Wendy Atubay said she and fellow officers “;intercepted a drug crack-cocaine buy.”;

“;The people scattered before we realized what was going on,”; she said. “;We found a couple of 'rocks' valued at $25,”; as well as drug paraphernalia.

Joseph Young, 85, lives in Aina Haina, but his family owned a grocery business at Oahu Market and he still spends much of his time at the clubhouse of the Lung Doo Benevolent Society.

“;I like to preserve the cultural aspect of Chinatown,”; Young said.