Master Gardeners Work with Groundwork Elizabeth and City to "Change Places, Change Lives", Press Release. May 18th, 2004.

Elizabeth, N.J., May 18th, 2004--On Tuesday, May 18th, the Master Gardeners of Union County, the City of Elizabeth, and Groundwork Elizabeth, held a joint planting program to update the look of an important traffic crossroads in the City of Elizabeth.

Mayor Chris Bollwage stood at the corner of Park Ave. and Summit Ave. in the Elmora Hills section of the City and addressed a large group of residents and visitors to the site at 10 a.m.. He stressed that, "we want to make our City a greener place for our residents and visitors, and Groundwork Elizabeth gives us another avenue to accomplish these goals". Flanked on one side by some of the Board of Directors for the new non-profit organization Groundwork Elizabeth, the agency which organized the event, and on the other by a group of the Union County Master Gardeners, the Mayor took a few shovelfuls of dirt and scooped them onto the planting.

Cindy Coppa of the Master Gardeners had solicited the help of Gertie Harris, Lorraine O'Grodnick Joann Gornowski,Linda Henry, Linda Brazaiti, and Jeanne White in order to plant more than 15 varieties of evergreens, annuals and perennials at the spot. Master Gardeners are certified planters of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, and must fulfill a number of plantings a year in order to continue to be certified. Earlier in the week the City had peeled off a green asphalt layer that had capped the traffic island for years. Belgian block curbing was placed as a border and fresh topsoil was introduced to the site.

"Our Board of Directors chose this location for the kick-off event for our organization for a few reasons", said Executive Director Phillips. "There is a lot of pride in Elmora Hills, and there was also the need to improve on what had been a showcase corner for this community". Dave Strochak, Fatimah Raymond, Phyllis Reich represented the Board of Directors of Groundwork Elizabeth at the planting and participated. Cynthia Szymanski, representing the National Park Service in Washington D.C., and also a member of the Board of Directors of Groundwork Elizabeth made it a point to attend the planting, "the Park Service is more than just Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, "said Szymanski to the attendees, "it is about rallying the public to create park like atmospheres within their own communities".

Groundwork Elizabeth has plans to host a River Awareness Day in the near future, as well as to continue to beautify public places in the City that are in need of updating.
For more information on how the public can become involved in fulfilling Groundwork Elizabeth's mission, please call Jonathan Phillips at Groundwork Elizabeth at (908) 289-0262 extension 203, or e mail at : groundwork-elizabeth@groundworkusa.net