SWEEP STORIES
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From
families and
churches to civic groups, neighbors and friends, Great River Sweep
coordinators and volunteers were inspired
to protect and enhance our
great Hudson River. We hope their stories inspire you to host your own cleanup using our DIY Cleanup Guide.
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COMMUNITY UNITES FOR WATERFRONT
Self-proclaimed Hudson fanatic Ann Marie Palefsky always finds herself
doing small things to keep the river clean. She recalls the tremendous
gratification her son and fellow 4-H Club members felt when they
rescued a bird tangled in fishing line and sucessfully petitioned the
town to install riverside garbage cans. A Sweep is the best
teacher
you can find, she says.
"I've been doing cleanups at the Stony Point
Seawall for nearly two
decades, and Scenic Hudson made it easy. I have never seen a more
organized or better-executed cleanup."
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COORDINATOR: Ann
Marie Palefsky
SWEEPS: 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
PLACE: Stony Point
Seawall, Rockland County
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I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AMAZING RIVER
Before the Sweep, Esopus had Marion Zimmer to organize cleanups. Then
Town Supervisor Ray Rice introduced her to Scenic Hudson, and a great
partnership was born. A member of her town's Waterfront Advisory Board,
Marion loves the Hudson River. She is enormously proud of the fact that
cleanups have progressed from removing junk cars and refrigerators to
picking up much smaller trash. Now that people know the area is cared
for, she says, illegal dumping rarely occurs.
"The kids emerge with tires and bags of trash,
grinning from ear to
ear, beaming with pride, as if to say, 'Look what I've done - this is
the best thing ever!'"
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 COORDINATOR:
Marion Zimmer
SWEEPS: 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
PLACE: Sleightsburg Park,
Ulster County
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GIRL SCOUTS MAKE BIG IMPACT IN CAPITAL REGION
Looking for an annual event that makes a big local impact? Stage ariverfront cleanup. Dan Spilman and
his daughter's
Girl Scout troop do one each April. In 2004 he
and more
than 50 volunteers braved rain and other difficult conditions to clean
up the Papscanee Island Nature Preserve in the Town of Schodack. They
seldom need to put in more than two hours to fill half a dump
truck. Dan and the scouts have a great time and are building
valuable habits for the future of their Hudson Valley.
"I wanted kids to be regulars at volunteering to
help the environment
and their community. I easily began an annual activity by working with
Scenic Hudson."
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COORDINATOR: Dan
Spilman
SWEEPS: 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005
PLACE: Papscanee Island
Nature Preserve, Rensselaer County |
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A CLEANER HUDSON FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN
Scenic Hudson's Corie Davis, pictured
standing left, works daily in our Communications
Department to help protect our river valley's unique beauty and
history. Off the job she takes pride in her hometown community of
Poughkeepsie. Corie turns her Sweeps into family outings. Her two young
grandchildren love to help. She sweeps
so they will get a chance to swim in the Hudson as she
did.
"I'm from
the city of
Poughkeepsie, and I grew up here playing at Waryas Park. Now it's
a
pleasure working with the riverfront."
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COORDINATOR: Corie Davis
SWEEPS: 2002, 2003
PLACE: Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County
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FOURTH SWEEP FOR HYDE PARK TEEN
In 2003, at age 14, Craig Nash coordinated his first Great River Sweep
on the historic Hyde Park Trail, which links the FDR and Val-Kill
estates. His last two cleanups mobilized dozens of local residents to
fill
several large dumpsters and collect many bags of recyclables. He
singlehandedly raised $400 to rent equipment for his cleanup. A recent
volunteer advocate for the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, Craig also
received national recognition with the President's Volunteer
Service Award for his
outstanding volunteer work with Scenic Hudson.
"I feel my biggest
accomplishment was getting people of all ages - from 7 years old to
70 years old - involved and working together for a common goal.
Everyone should have a sense of pride for their community."
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COORDINATOR: Craig Nash
SWEEPS: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
PLACE: Hyde Park, Dutchess County
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