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NEWPORT TWP. — Residents of Newport Township and the surrounding areas came together on Saturday to make sure Pennsylvania stays beautiful.
About 20 volunteers met at the township municipal building to kick off Newport’s contribution to the Keep America Beautiful – Great American Cleanup. The volunteers, including state Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township, worked along Kirmar Avenue from Alden to Glen Lyon picking up trash and stacking bags on the side of the road.
Palmira Miller, a member of Newport Township’s Community Organization and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, organized the event. She handed out backpacks, gloves and safety vests to the volunteers. She said the township has been doing this since 2004. The event was aided Saturday by the Newport Township Crime Watch.
Miller said it’s sad that organizations need to do this each year, but she understands that’s what it takes to keep the area clean.
“As you know, everyone is out there cleaning the highways this time of year,” Miller said. “I wish people would keep their stuff in their vehicles, but that’s not the case.”
Newport Township adopted Kirmar Avenue in 2004. Since then, the organizations have started to work on illegal dumping in the area as well.
Mullery volunteered on Saturday with his two children, Lauren, 14, and Liam, 10. To him, keeping his hometown beautiful is one of the reasons he feels it important to volunteer.
“I’m very environmentally conscious and this brings the community together,” he said. “This shows pride in the community and it’s just one piece of the puzzle to make Newport beautiful.”
Mullery said the newly formed Crime Watch in the township has worked closely with the police department to curb illegal dumping, which has become an increasing problem.
“They are off to a great start,” Mullery said of the Crime Watch. “People talk about how much they love to live in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They talk about the natural beauty. We have to do this to make sure it stays that way.”
In Newport Township and surrounding areas, illegal dumping has been an issue for the past several years. The volunteers said it extends from Nanticoke all the way to Glen Lyon.
Rebecca Seman, of Nanticoke, rode her bike up to Newport Township to help volunteer for the day. Seman is the coordinator of the Nanticoke Community Garden and deals with illegal dumping there. She feels it is important to get out and help other organizations.
“We have to come together as a community,” she said. “This helps. It’s a really positive experience.”
Seman said the Community Garden has a cleanup coming up in April.
Mullery said he’s proud of the way Newport Township residents have come together over the past several years.
“The organizations in Newport Township are unmatched,” he said. “This is a town that is extremely proud and it never surprises me to see the progress they made.”
