The Future Of River Protection

To the Editor:

This past Earth Day, 4/22/12, despite showers and cooler temperatures, a dedicated group of about 20 people took time out of their Sunday and joined the Candlewood Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited (CVTU) and the Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) by cleaning up garbage and debris along the banks of the Pootatuck River in Sandy Hook Center. Many thanks to all of them.

Special thanks go to St John’s Episcopal Church who offered use of their church hall as a preliminary meeting area; Mike Burton of Michael Burton Builders who allowed volunteers to use his Washington Avenue property as a staging area; Pat Caruso of Associated Refuse Haulers who donated a dumpster and organized removal of the accumulated trash; PJ’s Laundromat who allowed volunteers to use the facilities; and The Newtown Bee’s John Voket and Kendra Bobowick who covered the event and wrote an informative piece on the Pootatuck River. People like this make the future of river protection, cold water conservation, and civic pride bright and promising. Thank you.

Ann Astarita

Candlewood Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Sandy Hook                                                                        April 22, 2012