Hamlin cleans up for spring

Volunteers gathered on Sunday, May 6 in Hamlin for a clean-up day, an idea that was proposed by Hamlin resident Diane Kilburn. Many volunteers took advantage of a bright, cool spring day to participate. The clean-up was coordinated with the town's annual spring trash and brush pick-up.

Several neighborhood groups, including Kilburn's, have conducted organized neighborhood clean-ups on other days; Sunday was the day on which volunteers from several local organizations participated. Organizations participating were the Hamlin MOMS Club, which filled a number of large bags of trash in the area surrounding the old IGA plaza. The MOMS Club effort was coordinated by Star Speer and Mitzi Bishop. They were joined by members of the Gilbert, Pengelly, Milks and Gratto families.

A concerted effort to pick up trash and to mulch the playground behind Town Hall was taken on by members of Cub Scout Troop 724, Steve Viney, leader; Hamlin Youth Group, led by Brenda Burnette and Patty Jo Groenendaal; and Help Hamlin Kids, led by Nicole Sercu. Tom Ingraham, Highway Superintendent, trucked in numerous loads of special mulch for the playground and, with assistance from Town Supervisor Denny Roach, who helped the volunteers spread the mulch throughout the playground.

Many of the volunteers are pictured in the accompanying photo. Other playground volunteers are Nicole and Allie Cring, Mike and Kian Fitzgerald, Ken and Preston Fowler, Brandon, Zachary, Bill and Nicholas LaMere, Brett and Tom Melens, Zachary and Steve Viney, Stefan Neilon, Josh Marshall, Marc and Jenna Liess, Lindsey Stilson, Gage and Tyler Groenendaal, Pam and Ashley Marshall and Emily and Amy Hutchinson.

The official town trash days ended May 12, but voluntary clean ups will be continuing. Michael Mordenga, director of St. John Lutheran Church Youth Group, has scheduled a community park clean up for Saturday, May 19. The group's efforts will be in conjunction with a "30-hour Famine," in support of World Vision.

The efforts of the youth volunteers were rewarded by Delta Laboratories, Inc. of Rochester and Friendly's Restaurants, that provided coupons for free sundaes. Roach said the Town of Hamlin thanked all who volunteered.

May 13, 2007