Valley open space group needs helpers for cleanup

Call Ted Stiles at 466-3763

By John Tredrea
   This Saturday will mark the 31st Cleanup Day organized by the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.
   "Come clean up the Valley, earn money for your favorite nonprofit, get a T-shirt for your hard work and enjoy doughnuts, coffee and soda courtesy of the Pennington Market," Friends President Ted Stiles said Monday.
   The first Cleanup Day was held 16 years ago. Hopewell Township, which has worked with the Friends on the event, has received a $25,000 state grant "to make our town a cleaner place to live," said Dr. Stiles, who is a professor of botany at Rutgers University.
   "One of the major activities funded by the grant is a Valley Cleanup Day. The Friends hope to organize as many different groups and individuals as possible to take responsibility for different sections of roadways in the Valley," said Dr. Stiles.
   On Cleanup Day, volunteers pick up trash along township roadways.
   "We recommend at least two people volunteer for any section of the roadway because we collect recyclables and other trash in separate bags," Dr. Stiles said.
   "Even the most heavily littered sections of the roadways should not take more than two hours to clean. So even if you can only donate a small amount of time, please plan to participate. A very nice part of Hopewell Valley is that the roadways are already pretty clean. Our project, therefore, will be relatively easy and will add the polish we would like to see on Hopewell Valley’s landscape," he noted in a Monday news release.
   To get road assignments, call Dr. Stiles at 466-3763 or go to the Hopewell Township Municipal Building, Route 546 and Scotch Road, at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.
   "We will be able to offer payment and T-shirts for a minimum of two hours of participation," Dr. Stiles said. "The equivalent of $8 per adult-hour worked will be donated to the nonprofit organization of your choice. Children 12 or younger will earn $6 per hour for the nonprofit of their choice," said Dr. Stiles.
   Adult supervision, one adult per four children under 12, is required. Participants must be able to provide transportation to and from the work areas, and be prepared to bring the trash bags back to the Municipal Building."