Many community organizations from the Northeast pooled their efforts and resources to clean up the grounds of Glen Foerd on the Delaware and adjoining parkland on April 11, a project that coincided with the city’s Spring Cleanup.
Members of the Friends of Poquessing Watershed organized the event along with Glen Foerd on the Delaware, the historic mansion and estate at the confluence of the Poquessing Creek and Delaware River. Three Monkeys Cafe contributed more volunteers and gift certificates, while the Friends of Pennypack Park and Pennypack Environmental Center offered supplies. Students from Holy Family University and Gwynedd-Mercy University also took part.
In all, 18 volunteers worked 32.5 hours to remove 48 bags of litter and weeds, as well as some large debris, from the banks of the Poquessing, along State Road and along Grant Avenue. Workers also tackled the difficult task of removing some tenacious English ivy at least temporarily from a patio wall and garden on the Glen Foerd property.
Volunteers included James Walton, Amber and Todd Permsap, Cecelia Varbero, Mary Jean McCauley, Mahbuba Chaudury, Rich Glaser, Dan Coonan, Jeanne Capone Kane, Suzanne Zlotnick, Nina DiGiorgio, Ketsia Estime, Ugo Uguru, Regina O’Brien, Terry Brandt, Christine Faichetta, Jaclyn Boileau, Nance Kerns and Meg Sharp Walton.
The next event for Friends of Poquessing will be the Love Your Park Cleanup on Saturday, May 9. The Poquessing will be the focus of this Fairmount Park Conservancy program. Volunteers are welcome and should meet in the parking lot behind Junod Recreation Center, accessible from the 3200 block of Mechanicsville Road. The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. to noon.
In addition, volunteers will plant trees along the newly opened Poquessing Park Trail. Volunteers should wear long pants and closed shoes. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Visit www.friendsofpoquessing.org and visit the group’s Facebook page for information.
On the same day at 3 p.m., volunteers and other community members are invited to attend a benefit fundraiser for slain Philadelphia police Sgt. Robert Wilson at Parkwood Youth Organization. ••
