By Scott Brinton
State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) arranged the meeting. Michael Arens, Fuschillo's chief of staff, said both directors, Margaret Reilly of Parks and Thomas Oelerich of the DOT, offered an "incredible show of support" for involving local volunteers in the cleanup effort.
Civic activists attending the meeting included: Robert Young, of the Old Lindenmere Civic Association who brought the reservoir's dilapidated condition to light; Richard and Lisa Schary, North Bellmore environmentalists who have fought for years to preserve woodlands along the Meadowbrook and Southern State parkways; Joseph Kralovich, president of the Old Lindenmere Civic Association who led the fight against Freeport's diesel Power Plant No. 2; and Vicky Rosenberg, president of the South Shore Council of Civic Associations.
The cleanup is to take place at the Merrick reservoir off Babylon Turnpike on Saturday, July 20, with a July 27 rain date. Arens said Sen. Fuschillo's Freeport office received more than a dozen phone calls from people interested in volunteering for the cleanup after the Herald first published a story about it two weeks ago.
Volunteers are to meet at the west end of the Merrick train station parking lot at 9 a.m. They will then be shuttled to the cleanup, which will run until noon.
Volunteers are urged to wear long clothing and shoes or preferably boots. The state will provide all tools, including trash picks, gloves and garbage bags, as well as water. The state will also have workers on hand to haul off large debris.
Those who turn out will become "official volunteers" of the New York State Parks Department and will be placed under the state's insurance umbrella. To be placed on the state's insurance policy, volunteers must provide their Social Security numbers.
Anyone interested in volunteering is urged to sign up by calling Sen. Fuschillo's Freeport office at (516) 546-4100.
