The Brookline Memorial Recreation Center
Earth Day - April 21, 2007
PA Cleanways Project

The Brookline Park team

"Click on images for larger pictures"

APRIL 21 - In celebration of Earth Day 2007, the boys and girls of Brookline came together for the 3rd annual PA Cleanways "Let's Pick It Up, PA" project. One team of kids worked their way through Brookline Park, while another, led by girls from local scout troop 537 went west to tidy up Moore Park, our sister park located on Pioneer Avenue. When all was finished, these hardy youngsters had reigned in well over thirty bags of assorted garbage. Several larger items, including street signs, election signs, rotting tires and discarded construction debris topped off the growing mound of trash.

The Cleanways Project here in Brookline was coordinated by Keith Knecht of the South Pittsburgh Development Corporation (SPDC), a local community action group. The city-wide effort was directed by coordinators from the Pennsylvania Resources Council. PA Cleanways is statewide effort to help eliminate illegal dumping and littering in Pennsylvania. Every year on Earth Day weekend , nearly 200,000 residents throughout the state join in the pickup.

Aside from the work done in Brookline's two parks, several other teams, each led by members of SPDC, concentrated on different areas of the community, like Whited Street and the Boulevard. These teams also collected several bags of assorted trash, discarded tires, construction debris and even a sofa.

So much is said about the conflicts around the globe, but right here at home, we are also engaged in a conflict of sorts. It's called the "War on Litter." Just take a walk along Brookline Boulevard on any given day. Despite the presence of numerous trash containers, the abundance of loose trash is astounding. "Where does it all come from?"

Special thanks to all the boys and girls of Brookline Park, and the other concerned citizens of our community, who came out on this bright, sunny Spring day to help make a difference in our neighborhood. Brookline is a better, and cleaner, place because of you. Finally, thanks to Keith Knecht and the other members of SPDC, Antonio's Pizzeria, Kribel's Bakery and our partners in Citiparks for their continued support of the PA Cleanways project and our efforts here at Brookline Park.
Justin worked hard to pick up all the cigarette butts from near the front of the building. Funny thing is that smoking is prohibited in front of the building. 'Where do they all come from?', Justin asked, 'Can't they read the sign?' The kids learned a valuable lesson about how nasty trash can be. Please, everyone, respect their hard work and try to use the garbage cans. It's easy.
Dylan did a thorough job clearing out his patch of the woods near the parking lot. Watch out for the burrs.
The kids did a great job scavenging through the park. You never know what you'll find. A swimming pool? The grass is always greener in Spring, and the park never looked cleaner.
Thank you to the scouts of Troop 537 who worked hard over at Moore Park. Lots of hungry mouths to feed. Thanks to Tony Casciato of Antonio's Pizzeria for the fantastic pie.

Thank you to 'Old School' Jimmy Perry for helping to haul trash to the dump zone.

The Brookline Park Crew: Matt Mitchell, Dylan Mitchell, Justin Hancock, Lorraine Hancock, Brandon Keller, Ryan Bichler, Stephanie Snyder, Brian Hall, William Johnson, Mark Mellix, Jacob Snyder, Jean Mitchell, Clint Burton, Milan Tyler and James Perry.

The Moore Park Crew: Michelle Underwood Jr, Jonathon Andrews, Rachel Vichie, Natalie Neal, Zachary Neal, Joseph Nagy, Alex Maxwell, Mason Maxwell, Leah Hersh, Chrissy Lombarty, Lindsay Pierce, Chris Potts, Michael Roper, Danielle Maxwell, Christian Jester, Rachel Pierce, Lori Coyne, Amy Hersh, Michelle Underwood and Peggy Maxwell.

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