Thank-you party for Earth Day on tap

With orange bags in tow, groups from around the community lend a helping hand and pick up litter for Earth Day.

By: Joseph Harvie
   The sides of township roads are a little neater this week. Orange bags filled with trash are being collected by township officials.
   And, by the weekend, the township’s month-long cleanup will be complete. Those who helped will be given a special thank you Sunday at noon during a party at Reichler Park, behind the Municipal Building on Ridge Road.
   "It is a party to thank the volunteers who went out this month," township recycling coordinator Nancy Paquette said. "There will be a tree planting and Mayor (Frank) Gambatese will say a few words. It is a big party."
   The event, being held by the township’s Department of Public Works, also is South Brunswick’s celebration of Earth Day, which was celebrated nationally on April 22, and Arbor Day, which will be celebrated nationally on Friday.
   During the event, the Shade Tree Commission will give away free red oak and black walnut seedlings and plant a tree donated by Crossroads Nursery.
   Ms. Paquette said 32 of the 68 families that signed up for the cleanup had collected 249 bags of garbage, as of Monday. She said she expects more people to report that their cleanups are complete as the week progresses.
   Ms. Paquette said 326 adults and 396 children signed up to clean the township roadsides as of Monday. She said a final tally will be completed by Tuesday.
   Groups that have finished cleanups include the St. Cecilias R.C. Church seventh-grade CCD class, which collected eight bags of trash near the intersection of Route 130 and Fresh Ponds Road; the Riva Avenue neighbors, who collected seven bags of trash along Riva Avenue; Girl Scout Troop 2084, which collected six bags along the area of Ridge Road across from South Brunswick High School; and the family of Township Attorney Don Sears, which collected five bags of trash at the end of Oakey Drive and in the neighborhood near it.
   Ms. Paquette said in the event of rain the celebration will be held in the Senior Center, located next to the Municipal Building.