Over 600 pitch in for Earth Day cleanup
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Sunita Gian (l), South Brunswick, and her friend, Yasmin Khan, Plainsboro, choose a tree sapling at the Earth Day celebration in South Brunswick's Reichler Park on Sunday.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Last weekend's storms seemed like a distant memory as residents had fun in the sun at the township's 17th annual Earth Day celebration.

Held at Reichler Park, the afternoon's festivities stood as a stark contrast to last year's event, when inclement weather forced the celebration indoors. Sunday was the culmination of a monthlong volunteer cleanup effort throughout the town where about 600 people picked up litter along various roads in South Brunswick. The number of people participating eclipsed last year's, when 554 people volunteered as either individuals or as a group.

Mayor Frank Gambatese had nothing but kind words to say about those who took part in this year's cleanup effort.

"Every piece of paper you picked up, every can you picked up, protects us just a little bit more," said Gambatese, wearing a Tree City USA hat.

The celebration itself began with the planting of a blue atlas cedar donated by Crossroads Nursery. After a short speech, participants, mostly consisting of young people, each helped with the planting by placing a small bit of dirt around it until it was fully in the ground.

"It's going to get big. It's a lovely, lovely tree," said Shade Tree Commission Chair Diane Leonard, who also mentioned that people can contact the township to get shade trees replaced.

The blue atlas cedar joined several others in the immediate area planted during previous Earth Day celebrations. Meanwhile, under a pavilion a little farther down the way, a DJ played party music as kids made chalk drawings and tried to see who could hula-hoop the longest. A little to the left, children darted through a multicolored parachute.

"It's nice having all the trees; maybe we can have some more," said Parul Patel of Monmouth Junction. "This is good, how everyone came out and try to meet together and celebrate."

A few steps from the main Earth Day celebrations was a small circle where Girl Scout Troop 1820 held a pet adoption day as part of their Bronze Award project. In cooperation with Blumig Kennels in East Brunswick, the troop engaged in various community service projects since September. They held a food and toy drive in December and had volunteered their time taking care of the animals at several other points. They also learned about the importance of tagging, even making a presentation to South Brunswick officials regarding it.

A cat and about five dogs of varying ages and breeds were in a small circle of carriers and crates in the shade of a large tree, with the dogs being walked at different times. The girls taking part in the project said the work was hard but rewarding.

"It was a little hard to tame some of the dogs when we were meeting with Linda [the kennel owner] to learn how to take care of the dogs and how to control some of them, so we had to get them into the cage using food and the like, and that was probably the hardest thing," said Christina Rullo.

Both events, overall, drew a positive response from those attending, not at all hurt by the warm, sunny day the events took place on.

"I'm glad it's outside," said township resident Ada Hung.