By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – The organizers of Millstone Township’s 11th annual stream cleanup are seeking volunteers who want to help keep their community beautiful.
The stream cleanup is sponsored by the Millstone Township Environmental Commission and the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon April 22.
Volunteers will meet in the parking lot behind the municipal court building, 215 Millstone Road. Groups of volunteers will be sent to locations around town to clean lakes, streams, ponds and other areas by collecting trash and debris.
All residents are welcome to volunteer for the cleanup. Groups comprised of more than 10 volunteers must register before the event by contacting Brittany Musolino at [email protected]
Volunteers are reminded to wear long pants and boots, and to bring water and work gloves. Children who take part in the cleanup must be accompanied by an adult. A T-shirt and light refreshments are provided to volunteers.
Marianne Heyesey, the secretary of the environmental commission, said 51 volunteers participated in the 2016 cleanup and collected 1,440 pounds of trash, recyclable materials and bulk items.
According to Heyesey, participants amassed 77 bags of trash, 28 bags of recyclable materials and bulk waste items such as a five-gallon gas can, a headlight assembly, a front bumper, other car parts, a microwave oven, a chainsaw, a weed whacker, six fire extinguishers, a folding metal bed, three tires, metal posts, lumber and large shrub pots.
Along the way, the volunteers also found several road signs that were returned to township officials to be refurbished and reused, according to Heyesey.
“We would love to have people come out and show their support and join the cleanup on April 22,” she said.