Team members at New England District projects throughout the region hosted events in celebration of Earth Day.
Local remote control flying enthusiasts from Nutmeg R/C Flyers, Inc., of Thomaston, Conn., came out to the District’s Thomaston Dam to do some cleanup work, April 6. Volunteers from the club cleared a 10’x50’ long area from debris. Volunteers also raked and planted seed to improve the area, clean up the roadways and clear trailbike trails. About 30 volunteers and two District team members participated in the event.
East Brimfield and Westville Lake in Mass., had 59 volunteers arrive at their projects ready to go to work at their annual Trail Day event, April 13. Clean up at the Brimfield area included spreading 80 cubic yards of fine gravel, completing 2,000 feet of trail and installing six trail marker sign posts. For six Tantasqua High School students the event doubled as a carpentry class when two of their instructors assisted them in installing six posts along the Grand Trunk Trail.
In Holland, Mass., volunteers did their part during the event by installing five sign posts along the trail. Sturbridge volunteers cleared away trail debris, cleaned up leaves, installed sign posts, planted seedlings and spread three yards of mulch. Along the Southbridge portion of the Grand Trunk Trail, volunteers picked up litter and installed 10 sign posts.
The Brimfield Lake workers didn’t come empty handed – they brought four tractors of various sizes to help with the heavy work. The volunteers at East Brimfield and Westville saved the government nearly $4,600 in labor costs.
Celebrating Earth Day – which is officially April 22 – is a time honored tradition at New England District projects. The day which inspires people around the globe to be more environmentally friendly began in 1970 and has been celebrated worldwide ever since.