Dozens of volunteers fanned out across four parks in Freeport and Baldwin on May 3 to collect litter, clear debris and spruce up public green spaces in recognition of Earth Day on April 22. Many of the volunteer efforts were originally scheduled for April 25, but were scheduled due to adverse weather conditions.
Hosted by Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, State Sen. Siela Bynoe and Nassau County legislators Debra Mulé and Scott Davis, the cleanup campaign brought residents, students and civic groups together at Milburn Creek Park, Brookside Preserve, Silver Lake Park and Lofts Pond Park.
By the end of the day, volunteers had collected more than 58 bags of garbage along with several bulk items, organizers said.
Participants included members of Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s Freeport Service Unit, Boy Scout Troop 182, Freeport volunteer organization The Green Army, South Shore Conservation Society, Environmental Rotaract Club of Nassau County Long Island, Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club and Sanitary District No. 2.
Students from Baldwin High School’s Key Club and Freeport High School’s Student Government, Honor Society and ROTC also took part.
Griffin said the turnout reflected the community’s commitment to preserving local parks and waterways.
“I am so grateful to the individuals, children, families, Boy Scouts, and local organizations who joined together to participate in our Earth Day cleanups at the various sites across Baldwin and Freeport,” Griffin said. “Together, we made a difference and demonstrated why it is essential to preserve our natural resources and keep our community pristine.”
Mulé said the cleanup campaigns have become a successful example of residents working alongside elected officials to maintain Baldwin’s natural resources.
“I am glad that the community responded so enthusiastically to our Baldwin community cleanups,” she said. “It is their dedication and hard work that made this series such a great success.”
Bynoe called the parks “the heart of our community,” noting that beautification efforts help ensure they remain safe and welcoming gathering spaces.
Davis also praised the many student volunteers who spent part of their Saturday collecting trash and assisting with cleanup efforts.
Organizers said the event was intended not only to mark Earth Day, but also to encourage continued stewardship of neighborhood parks throughout the year.
The South Shore Conservation Society has led monthly volunteer clean-ups at the Brookside Preserve, but its efforts have been limited by the extent of damage already done to the 22-acre nature preserve — with mostly inaction from Nassau County, the society’s leaders said.
“As we are cleaning up, we as volunteers take extra precaution, because there are needles on the ground, there are sex preservatives laying on the floor,” Jose Cuevas, the society’s vice president, said. “It is at times disgusting, where we have high school students passing by on their way to get an education. That’s not acceptable.”
The office of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums have not provided any comments about the Brookside Preserve despite several requests from the Herald.
The society has been seeking the county’s support for nearly three years and offered to continue and expand its restoration efforts, including the removal of trash that is found on the ground or in the water, and rebuilding the preserve’s walkways.
The society said it would be able to complete more extensive restoration efforts at the county-owned preserve if Nassau officials agreed to a formal partnership, since the society would then qualify for public conservation grants worth up to thousands of dollars to help fund these efforts, without any cost to the county or its residents.
