The Rochester Women’s Club held their 23rd annual Earth Day Clean-Up event on Saturday morning.
Rochester Troop 74527 Girl Scouts handed out garbage bags and gloves and marked on a map the areas where people picked up trash. Over 50 volunteers registered areas they planned to clean on Vaughn Hill Road, Cushman Road, and parts of Neck Road.
Rochester Women’s Club Treasurer Brianne Cook said they invited the Girl Scout troop to see how the event is run and participate. “We did some cleaning up over on Gifford and Gifford Park,” she said.
Rochester Boy Scout Troop 31 assisted the town in cleanup efforts by picking up trash around Plumb Corner and near Dexter Lane. “[The troop] usually helps as well and hand out materials,” Cook said.
Volunteers dropped off their trash on the roadside for the Rochester Highway Department to pick up this week. highway Surveyor Jeffrey Eldridge said they picked up a tire, couch, and 260 pounds of garbage.
Compared to last year, there are more younger kids along with the Girl Scouts this year to help with collective pickup. A Rochester Women’s Club spokesperson in an email said they “try to involve more community.”
“I like seeing how the community comes together to help keep our town clean,” Cook said. She added that many people toss things out the car window when they drive through town, so having the community come together helps.
“You don’t see a lot of people walking around Rochester, and so it’s nice to see everyone come out and participate, and be present in the town,” said member Melanie Lean.
Inside the club, residents could get refreshments and meet other people in the community.
According to the official Earth Day website, earthday.org, Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 in response to modern industrial practices. Now it has grown into a global movement that has formed community cleanups, tree plantings, and peaceful demonstrations. Its effect has had lasting impact in Massachusetts and in the surrounding Tri-Town communities. The Rochester Women’s Club has held the annual town clean-up every year since.
If you are interested in learning more about this event, you can contact the Rochester Women’s Club on Facebook or email them at rochesterwomensclub@gmail.com. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month at the Rochester Women’s Club on 37 Marion Road Route 105.
By Jared Melanson