Green Up Day synergy in Springfield

Bright sunshine, blue skies, and comfortable temperatures put spring in the steps of the many volunteers digging, planting, spreading mulch, and picking up trash at the People’s United Bank parking lot Saturday morning, May 5.


www.vermontjournal.com

Green Up Day synergy in Springfield BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The Shopper May 10, 2018 green Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Caitlin Christiana and Board member Meredith Kelley. Photo by Karen Engdahl. SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Bright sunshine, blue skies, and comfortable temperatures put spring in the steps of the many volunteers digging, planting, spreading mulch, and picking up trash at the People’s United Bank parking lot Saturday morning, May 5. Caitlin Christiana, executive director of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, estimated there would be more than 300 bright green trash bags distributed to volunteers before the morning was over. “We got a beautiful day!” she said. Surveying the bustling scene, she pointed out various groups engaged in cleaning and sprucing up. “There are members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, HCRS, Springfield on the Move, and the Garden Club all working together,” she noted, “and lots more working on other sites.” Green HCRS volunteers. Photo by Karen Engdahl. “We sent a contingent to the area around the reservoir,” she continued, “to pick up along the route for the Dam Run tomorrow. After the cleanup, everyone is invited to join the thank you cookout right here. And after that, you can head over to Trout River Brewing Company for the Cinco de Mayo celebration this afternoon before you head to the Cotillion performance tonight. We’re celebrating real synergy with community events!” Members of the HCRS volunteer squad, all clad in bright green, combed through the parking lot picking up trash ranging from crushed cigarette packs to several old tires, creating a tower of green bags in the corner of the lot. green Walter Martone removes Christmas trees. Photo by Karen Engdahl. Meanwhile, Select Board member Walter Martone helped move the outdated Christmas trees from the area in front of the Springfield Cinema so Alan Woodbury could set in fresh plantings. “It’s great to see everyone working together,” said Martone, stopping for a breather as members of the Springfield Garden Club hurried across the plaza with wheelbarrows full of mulch. Vermont’s Green Up Day, always the first Saturday in May, was launched in 1970 by Gov. Deane Davis. In 1979, the nonprofit organization Green Up Vermont was formed to carry on the tradition of Green Up Day. It is an annual statewide event, where over 22,000 volunteers come together to remove litter from Vermont’s roadsides and public spaces.