May 7, 2016: Wappinger Creek Estuary Clean-up with Riverkeeper’s Hudson River Sweep
Leader: Russ Faller Co-Leader: Wilfredo Chaluisant

Each year our Mid Hudson Chapter of ADK participates in Riverkeeper’s Hudson River Sweep with a clean-up outing on the Wappingers Creek.

This year, 17 wonderful volunteers joined our effort and pulled out about 780 pounds of trash that less responsible people threw into the creek! This included 18 bags of trash, 9 bags of recyclables, 5 tires, well over 100 pounds of metal and other odds and ends, including a ceramic toilet bowl, golf club, 3 soccer balls, plastic roofing, part of a wooden chair, a lawn mower wheel, a can of paint, a very large tarp, hose, a trash can lid and 2 buckets.

Hannaford and Shop Rite were generous in donating a lot of snack foods, all-juice drinks, apples, etc. so we didn’t have to bring our own lunches. Afterwards, we headed to the North River Brewery in the Village of Wappingers Falls, for free beers donated by the brewery. We spent a couple of hours there mellowing and socializing.

All in all, it was a great day. Wonderful volunteers were: Stan Augie, Jeff Kaplan, Dave Kaplan, Jean-Claude Fouere, Mike Pettigrew, Bob Clark, Gino Platania (all members), Marilyn Carkner, Lindsey Fazzinga, Jesse Inoncillo, Jim Doherty, Bryan Girton, Kristen Planck-Kuney, Patrick Oehler, Naina Maloni (all non-members), the leader and co-leader. Non-members were given a 3-month complimentary subscription to our outings schedule and encouraged to come out with us just for fun.