Earth Day is an opportunity to remember the one home we all share, and reflect on ways we can help protect and preserve that home for future generations. The importance of Earth Day was not lost on Levittown residents, who gathered for their annual community cleanup, which the town has hosted for more than a dozen years.
The cleanup took place on Saturday, April 20 at Veterans Park on Hempstead Turnpike and Shelter Lane. Volunteers gathered in front of the Levittown Public Library in the early afternoon to game-plan and distribute tools and resources for the cleanup. Participants were encouraged to bring their own rakes, picks, shovels, spades, clippers and brooms, but were also able to borrow equipment provided by the Town of Hempstead. Many showed up donned in their gardening best!
The purpose of this event, which has been a long-term staple of Levittown, is to bring together local residents and school and community groups in a unified effort to groom local parks and public areas. Participants ranged from students in an Honor Society, religious education programs, Key Clubs, scouts, sports teams as well as anyone looking to earn some community service credits. Volunteers were able to receive certificates for hours worked at the end of the cleanup, demonstrating their hard work and dedication to keeping Levittown’s parks and public spaces clean and healthy.
The volunteers were advised by the council as to where the cleanups would take place. Groups were formed to tackle smaller sections of the park, such as flowerbeds, overgrown bushes, or trash collection from the sidewalks. The Council was happy to provide individual volunteers groups with local parks and community areas to be cleaned, and groups were encouraged to join together if either the need arose or they were enjoying the communal aspects of the clean.
Volunteers also had the opportunity to choose their own area to clean, but were responsible for submitting the area to the council for review ahead of the event, to ensure that personal property was not submitted for cleaning. The focus of this cleanup was really on protecting spaces that everyone in the town can enjoy.
For information on future Levittown Community Council programs, email levittowncouncil@yahoo.com or call (516) 735-5901.
