Morristown spring cleaning set for April 26

Volunteers gather behind town hall for Morristown spring cleanup. Photo by Berit Ollestad.
Volunteers gather behind town hall for Morristown spring cleanup. Photo by Berit Ollestad.
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Volunteers gather behind town hall for Morristown spring cleanup. Photo by Berit Ollestad.
Volunteers gather behind town hall for 2012 Morristown spring cleanup. Photo by Berit Ollestad.

Besides the damage inflicted on our psyches, this past winter made a mess of Morristown. The retreating snow banks left behind lots of litter.

A volunteer group is asking residents and organizations to celebrate the spirit of Earth Day by coming out this Saturday, April 26, 2014, to sweep away these bad wintry memories once and for all, via the 24th annual Town Wide Spring Clean-Up.  

Registration starts behind town hall at noon; the cleanup should be completed by noon. Here are more details, from the town’s Clean Communities volunteer committee:

GREATER MORRISTOWN PARTNERS FOR CLEAN COMMUNITIES

Spring sprang on March 20. But nature needs some extra help this year to move the season along. As everyone waits for trees and flowers to start blooming and birds to begin building their nests, the harsh winter has left litter caught in bushes and trapped by snow piles.

Morristown residents, businesses and friends will be out in force on Saturday, April 26, 2014, for the 24th annual Town Wide Spring Clean-Up.

Many families, individuals, church, civic and school groups have made this a much anticipated, yearly tradition, combing their neighborhoods, as well as parks, playgrounds, monuments and other familiar and much loved town locations to collect and dispose of trash that has accumulated over the winter.

Many of these groups have come up with additional projects to help beautify the town and make it even more colorful and inviting.

“Morristonians have always taken pride in their community – and one way they demonstrate that pride is by volunteering just a few hours each spring to our town-wide clean-up,” says Kathleen O’Neill Margiotta, chairperson of the Morristown Clean Communities volunteer committee, the event’s organizer.

Margiotta adds that many people want to volunteer their time to benefit the community, but don’t quite know how.

“Our Earth Day-related clean-up offers opportunities for everyone, no matter what their age or energy level. No special skills are required and participants will be rewarded with commemorative give-aways and a light breakfast to get everyone off to a good start.”

Combined with communal efforts to recycle and eliminate litter, the program’s historic success is reflected by the fact that the first year, some 12 tons of waste were collected. By last year, that total had been reduced to less than two tons.

Volunteers will meet at the town hall rear parking lot, 200 South St., at 9 a.m. to register and receive their work assignments. They should dress for work detail and, if possible, bring their own work gloves, rakes, shovels and brooms. Bags for garbage and recycling and will be provided. Work assignments are completed before noon.

For further information, to offer a project idea or request a specific work site, call Margiotta at 973-644-4363, or e-mail her at k-margiotta@townofmorristown.org. Advanced registration is not required. The “heavy rain date” is Sunday, April 27.

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