Not even rain and chilly weather could dampen the efforts of the more than 400 volunteers who participated in the city’s “Earth Day Citywide Cleanup” last Saturday.
It’s been 32 years since the first “Earth Day” celebration of the planet in April 1970. Over the last three decades, Earth Day has become an occasion noted by presidents, superstars, and hundreds of millions of citizens around the world who use the occasion to raise environmental awareness.
With broom in hand, Mayor David Roberts joined Hoboken schoolchildren, community groups, and almost 250 additional volunteers who pitched in to clean up city parks, streets, and neighborhoods. The volunteers also helped plant bushes around the veterans’ memorial at Elysian Park.
“Following last night’s severe weather, today’s event certainly helps augment the city’s cleanup efforts,” said Roberts Saturday. “More importantly, however, is that hundreds of residents came out today to make a contribution to their community, and in the process many children learned some important values, such as the values of hard work and taking pride in their community.”
Among the community groups that participated were the Environmental Committee of Hoboken, the Hoboken Boy Scouts, the Hoboken Family Alliance, Alpha Phi Omega community service fraternity at Stevens Institute of Technology, the 11th Street Island Association, the Hoboken Quality of Life Committee, and the Hudson Tea Building tenants association. Students from the city public school system’s “Service Learning” program led the general cleanup.
Cassandra Wilday, the city’s director of Environmental Services, said Thursday that she appreciates everyone’s efforts, especially considering the poor weather.
“It was a great success,” she said. “You don’t really realize how many different community groups there are working on so many good projects citywide until you bring them together for such a big community effort like this one.”
Following the cleanup event, volunteers gathered at Pier A Park for a community barbecue. They feasted on free hamburgers and hot dogs and played volleyball and other games.
The cleanup was funded through a Clean Communities state grant.
“Unfortunately the weather could not hold out just a little while longer,” Roberts said. “But we had a very successful event, and I’m looking forward to next year’s which I’m sure will be even bigger and better.”