Delaware & Raritan Spring Cleanup

Last Saturday, April 13, marked our second Second Saturday of Service at the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail where it runs through the West Ward of Trenton. The area that volunteers and staff from D&R Canal Commission helped clean was somewhere on the line between the property of Lighthouse Outreach Ministry and D&R Canal park property, but that wasn't really a problem to us. We all agreed that they trash and debris that had been accumulating there for likely the past decade had to go. It was a blight on the neighborhood and the park and I am glad to say that we finished the project in the allotted 3 hours for that day.

Of course, many of the projects that our group does are similar to this one. Cleaning up after the ravages of neglect in a city that is largely written off and forgotten by the rest of New Jersey is our job. By coming out to these events and helping to maintain the resources that our city has, we show our hope for revitalization of community engagement and volunteerism in our city. Furthermore, we show that Trenton is capable of getting things done in the face of prevalent negativity and disparity.
As part of this task, we must work on making our positive changes to the community permanent by helping neighborhoods and vested interests take responsibility for their respective areas of the city to make this upkeep more permanent. 

 

Service opportunities and other happenings this weekend:

Saturday, April 20: Souperfest: TASK's 30th Anniversary Thank You Celebration, Trenton War Memorial, 10am-2pm
For more information: http://www.souperfest.trentonsoupkitchen.org/

Saturday, April 20: Barlow Circle Cleanup, Meet at intersection of South Clinton and Greenwood, 9am-12pm
For more information: http://caretrenton.tumblr.com/

We hope to see you this Saturday at 9:00!

Assunpink Creek Cleanup, Reviewed

On March 9, Trenton Cities of Service and Trenton Mentoring Coalition kicked off our 2013 Second Saturdays of Service initiative with a park cleanup fittingly in the center of the city, at Mill Hill Park. The Assunpink Creek Cleanup's purpose was to clean the creek bed of debris that was the result of flooding and other litter around the park.
When planning the day, I was operating under the mentoring coalition's recommendation that the event follow through rain-or-shine. However, this plan began to be called into question by me, my co-workers, and some concerned volunteers when Mercer County was clobbered by a last minute snow storm the day before that refused to turn into rain, which is what the forecasts had said. Nonetheless, I had faith that most of the snow would melt by the next day which was supposed to be warm and sunny in comparision.
Morning rolled around and much of the snow remained (photo above) which did hamper some of our efforts to clean the park. That being said, our volunteers made short work of this project because of our sheer numbers. Over sixty volunteers showed up to do a useful service for Mill Hill Park and the broader city. Representatives from Old Mill Hill Society and our local Watershed Ambassador, Jade Greene, gave us some explanation of the historical and environmental significance of that section of the Assunpink Creek. It was amazing to think of the different eras that that section of the city had seen. From being the actual battle line which defined where the Continental Army and British soldiers fought over during the Revolutionary War to being the source of energy for a mill that used to sit on the property (parts of which are still visible), the creek had seen more than we could ever know of Trenton's history as a city.
The day was a promising start to something new. The fact that so many volunteers came out was encouraging to me and gave us the motivation to imagine the possibilities for future projects around the city.

Our next service project will be another litter cleanup, along the D&R Canal trail in Trenton's West Ward. We will be meeting at 9:00 am in the parking lot of Lighthouse Outreach Ministries, at the corner of Bellevue and Hermitage Avenues. We hope to see you there!