Many Turned Out To ‘Lose The Litter’

To the Editor:

Lose the Litter Day was sunny again this year, and we were pleased at the large number of people who turned out to clean up our town. Approximately 300 volunteers helped clean up more than 50 roads in town. The volunteers were a real cross section of the town: Cub scouts and more mature members of the town’s service organizations; longtime residents and new arrivals, all worked together on the town’s roads.

The event would not have been possible without support from many people and groups. The borough let us raise the banner along Queen Street. Fred Hurley and the Highway Department provided the gloves and bags for the volunteers and let us leave the bagged trash at the Highway Department garage. The volunteer fire companies also gave us permission to leave the collected trash on their property. The Board of Education allowed us the Middle School property. The Newtown Bee helped make everyone aware of the event. The elementary schools and Saint Rose School also helped spread the word by sending out flyers. The Newtown Junior Woman’s Club helped with publicity and supplied womanpower on the day of the event Finally, the volunteers contributed their time and energy to removing the litter from out town’s roads.

Lose the Litter Day always reminds me of Walt Kelly’s observation that “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Our throw-away society is awash in litter, and an annual event is not the real solution to the litter problem. The Highway Department deals with the more outrageous cases of illegal dumping every day, but the town simply does not have the resources or the time to pick up every last soda can. In the end, it all comes down to the individual. Some volunteers suggested, half in jest, that Lose the Litter Day should be a weekly event. In fact, I was impressed by the number of volunteers who told me that they regularly clean up various roads in town. Perhaps we can all follow their example throughout the year.

Thanks again to all the people who turned out to help this year.

Sincerely,

Jerome A. Mayer

Chairman, Lose the Litter Day

Newtown Lions Club

Beaver Dam Road, Newtown                                   May 1, 2001