 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Elizabeth, N.J., Oct. 16, 2004 More than 130 volunteers donated their personal time on a sunny but cool Saturday in a Clean Up event along the banks of the Elizabeth River.
The Oct. 16th River Clean Up, billed as the First Annual Elizabeth River Clean up Day, was hosted and organized by Groundwork Elizabeth, an Elizabeth based non-profit organization which has as its mission the improvement and promotion of the physical environment of the City. Co-president Robin Lospinoso, from her seat at the registration table confirmed her non-profit’s role in environmental improvement and awareness. “As well as cleaning today, we are here to raise the awareness of the public as to the importance of maintaining a healthy
e
nvironment”.
Mayor Chris Bollwage attended the event and took special pride in the large group of volunteers during a brief and earnest lunchtime address. “Everyone here should give themselves a big round of applause”, began the Mayor, “you are doing a great service to your community and your environment by showing up here today”. The Mayor then presented certificates of appreciation to volunteer organizations, along with Chairman of the River Cleanup Committee Carmen Valiante and Executive Director Jonathan Phillips of Groundwork Elizabeth.
All volunteers were presented with a box lunch courtesy of Michelino’s Restaurant, and an event day T-shirt, which proudly listed the sponsors of the event, Tom’s of Maine Natural Products and the National Park Foundation, on the back of the shirt. The 130 plus volunteers represented a great variety of educational, civic, and religious organizations. The Elizabeth High School Key Club contributed over 40 volunteers, Battin Middle school, the Elizabethport Presbyterian Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Elizabeth C.A.R.E., the Union County S.L.A.P. program, the Independent Cleaning Company, and many other civic minded citizens participated. “It is truly amazing how many volunteers showed up today”, remarked Phyllis Reich, a Groundwork Elizabeth volunteer.
Hundreds of bags of riverbank trash were collected during the 3 hour cleanup. Troy Hudson of the Elizabethport Presbyterian Center was encouraged by the event. “It is great to see people helping take pride in their river”, said Hudson, as he crouched at the riverbank to pick some empty soft drink bottles from the shoreline, “and I am hopeful they will pass down this type of activity to their children in the future”. Prizes were awarded for the “strangest trash” found at the cleanup. Elder Merrell of the Church of Latter Day Saints found a truck headlight, and Sal Coppa and Jose Irizarry of the Independent Cleaning Company found an antique ironing board. Each will receive a trophy donated by the Clean Communities Council from the State of N.J.
Groundwork Elizabeth was initiated by a grant between the City of Elizabeth and the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program. Currently there are more than 10 Groundwork Trusts located throughout the U.S, all of whom share similar goals of improvement of lives through the improvement of the environment.
Tom’s of Maine has granted funds for Groundwork Elizabeth to hold a “Springtime River Awareness Day” in the Spring of 2005. Another River Cleanup, in addition to historical and cultural events will be held at the same location, ending up in Mattano Park, courtesy of the Union County Parks Department in cooperation with the City and Groundwork. “We are encouraged by the amount of support and success we have achieved in our first year of operation”, stated Ms. Lospinoso, “we will continue to provide opportunities for the public to become involved in ‘changing places, changing lives’, the credo of the Groundwork organization”.
For more information on the upcoming River Awareness Day, Groundwork Elizabeth, or to become involved as a volunteer in Groundwork or City of Elizabeth, please call Executive Director Jonathan Phillips at the Groundwork telephone # 908-289-0262, extension 203, or visit the Groundwork Elizabeth website at www.groundworkelizabeth.com.