Earth Day cleanup set for Wilson-Tuscarora State Park

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 18—Wilson Central School District Superintendent Tim Carter is encouraging students, staff and community members to take part in an Earth Day cleanup, which will take scheduled for 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Wilson-Tuscarora State Park's Roosevelt Beach.

"This is a great opportunity for us to not only celebrate our community but to ask ourselves what we can do to conserve it for ourselves and future generations. It is the first year Wilson Central School District will be taking part in the Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup initiative sponsored by the Niagara County Central Rotary Club, the Village of Wilson, and the Town of Wilson. I am excited because it gives the community a chance to work together and to show our support in protecting our environment."

The Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup initiative is an effort that has grown from a District 7090 service project covering a small portion of Lake Ontario and Erie to a multi-district plan to focus Rotarians' attention to all five of the Great Lakes and the streams and waterways feeding them. The Rotary Club's goal is to make this the single largest local cleanup event ever planned and coincides with Earth Day 2021 on the Great Lakes Watershed. The Great Lakes contain almost 20% of the world's fresh water and is arguably the largest source of fresh water on the planet.

Niagara County Central Rotary Club President Dave Evans said the goal of the cleanup day is to remove plastic and litter on lands and waterways.

"We especially want to remove waste that can be potentially ingested by pets and other wildlife. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing natural resource in our backyard and it is a great way to educate the public about the effects of littering, the importance of recycling, and instill a sense of stewardship about our planet."

Volunteers can report to the pavilion at Roosevelt Beach at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 24, where bags, gloves, and trash grabbers will be provided, along with light refreshments. The event will be held rain or shine.

"We are very grateful to anyone willing to help out," Carter said. "We obviously would love to see this be a family activity and have our students take part as well. We ask that anyone 15 years old or younger be accompanied by an adult for safety reasons. We are hoping to have a huge turnout. It will be a great way to increase our town pride and spend a morning in a beautiful part of our area."

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