The cleanup crew from the Friends of Pennypack Park endured an intermittent rainstorm to round up 29 bags of litter from the park near Frankford and Solly avenues on July 26. Curiously enough for the 21 rain-soaked volunteers, they also found an abandoned rowboat.
Organizers of the monthly cleanup called 911 and 311 to report the abandoned vessel to city officials. Meanwhile, volunteers canvassed the rain-soaked and debris-filled park on both sides of Frankford Avenue and at Pennypack on the Delaware with the help of the Community Life Improvement Program, Engineers Without Borders, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Holmesburg Civic Association.
Individual objects removed from the park included a swimming noodle, a Minnie Mouse pool floatie, the boat (missing its motor), three shopping carts, a tire, two milk crates, two plastic foam coolers, part of an air conditioner, a roll of toilet paper, a storage container, a wire hanger, two queen-size mattresses, a box spring, a television, an oven grate, a towel, a shoe innersole, three T-shirts, a sandal, a wallet containing $5.80 in change and a laundry token but no identification, a dozen Lego pieces, a truck tire retread, four empty motor oil containers, a car bumper, an aquarium filter, a softball, a No Parking sign with pole and two traffic cones.
Volunteers included Kevin Sweetra, Bill Henderson, George Scholl, Hannah Grooms, Elsy A. Escobar, Baochan Tran, Bethany Schneider, Bob McMunn, Andrew Puzdrak, Louise Kopena, Rich Frizell, Jim Ryan, Kathy Scheiblein and Nance Kerns, along with seven unidentified contributors. CLIP’s Mike Beutenmeuller and Jim McCarthy, as well as Jim Huntsberger and T.J. Lozado from Parks and Rec, also helped out.
The next Pennypack Park cleanup day will be on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All are welcome. Volunteers will meet at the ballfield on Holme Avenue behind Nazareth Hospital. Volunteers should wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Gloves, tools and refreshments will be provided by ShopRite and the FOPP. Call 215–934-PARK or email to FOPPMonthlyCU@aol.com for information. ••
