Plainsboro’s history, diversity on display

Founders Day celebrated.

By: Emily Craighead
   PLAINSBORO — Residents came from across the town and from the four corners of the world Sunday to celebrate the township’s incorporation in 1919 and its diversity today at Founders Day celebrations.
   "E Pluribus Unum" was the theme as Korean dancers, Chinese drummers, high-school jazz bands, MacGregor Pipe Band and others took to the stage to perform for friends and neighbors.
   "From many diverse cultures we have one solid community," said Ruth Levy, a trustee of the Historical Society. She stood beside an 8-foot-high map of the world that the Human Relations Committee set up for festival goers to circle their birthplace.
   A true carnival atmosphere took over as the sun came out at the beginning of the afternoon.
   According to Mayor Peter Cantu, if it had rained Sunday, it would have been the first rainfall ever to interrupt the festivities.
   Children lined up to have their faces painted, ride the inflatable slide, make slime, take a peak inside a fire truck, or watch the Give & Take Jugglers perform.
   Families wandered around with popcorn, Italian ice and french fries, and smiles on their faces.
   "It’s one of the best examples of community," Committeeman Michael Weaver said.
   Girl Scouts troops 207 and 208 from Plainsboro and West Windsor also came out to demonstrate their spirit, running a game called the "elephant relay," which they designed themselves.
   "With Girl Scouts, one of the important things they do is community service," troop leader Pat Helck said. "Here they have an opportunity to take on a leadership role."
   The girls, along with local politicians, marching bands and Wicoff Elementary School students, also marched in the parade that kicked off Founders Day. The parade traveled from Waters Edge Park to the municipal center.
   While Committeeman Ed Yates lamented not being able to see the parade — because he marched in it — Millstone River School fourth-grade student and Girl Scout Deja Robinson said she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
   "It’s long, but people are waving at you, and you feel like you’re royalty," she said.
   In honor of Millstone River School recently being named a "peaceful school" by Peaceful Schools International, the Human Relations Committee gave away paper fortunes with facts about famous peacemakers, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Anne Frank.
   Deve Unni, 16, a High School North student, said those individuals set an example for how to make Plainsboro a peaceful and happy place to live.
   "This teaches people about how this town was all created and all the hard work that went into it," he said. "We hope the same people will help later generations."
   Children could go on a search for E Pluribus Unum written above a bald eagle on a display in the Wicoff House, and they received a coin holder with a shiny new nickel for their efforts.
   Laryssa Duncan, a volunteer for the Historical Society, sat in the Wicoff House entrance to greet residents, many of whom had never seen the museum before.
   "It’s a really great place in Plainsboro for citizens," she said. "A lot of people don’t know about it, because we’re out of the way."
   Nearly 200 people stopped by the museum Sunday.
   The event was an opportunity not only to educate residents about township history, but also about how to care for the environment and keep the township green.
   Craig Ross, chairman of the Shade Tree Advisory Committee, helped distribute more than 600 white pine and chestnut oak saplings for residents to plant in their gardens. They also handed out free water bottles and literature reminding people to recycle and informing them about the state’s new "clean streets, clean waterways" initiative.
   "Recycling is important, and hopefully they will remember that with these things they got on Founders Day," Mr. Ross said.
   At the end of the day, those like the Pappu family left the event tired but happy — 2-year-old Anirudh with an Elmo balloon and 6-year-old Ananya with sweet memories of marching in the parade and throwing candy to the spectators.