The Friends of Pennypack Park encountered a few oddities when they gathered at the park’s Little City parking area on Sept. 24 for their monthly cleanup.
Spotty rain showers doused the cleanup crew, although elsewhere in the Northeast, the sky remained relatively dry. Once inside the park, volunteers found a tree that someone had used as a canvas for graffiti with the message “No Litter” scrawled in white paint on the trunk. Workers also found a statue of Jesus Christ.
The cleanup effort was a productive one nonetheless as dozens of volunteers removed 36 bags of debris and two bags of recyclable cans from the natural landscape.
The participants included Jade, Eugene and Jalen Dixon; Adeyemi and Felicia Ekundayo; Sydney and Edgar D’Oliveira; Marc Mattiacci; Phuong and Hoang Ho; Jonah, Jenna, John and Kelly Ance; Kenneth and Shannon Edelman; Tristan and Tracey Romero; Kathy Volack; Katya Rebensky; David and Gloria El and their granddaughter Kaede; Marianna Mari; Tim McAndrews; Debbie O’Connor; Joan Henry-Graham; Marie Coyle; Dean Lynd; Rich Glaser; Russ Shehinsky; Robert McMunn; Tom Henry; Alan Ostrow; Karen Kaczorek; Alan Kaminsky; Ty Tyson; Andrew Puzdrak; Kevin Sweetra; Bill Henderson; Jim Smyth; and Nance Kerns.
Participating community organizations included Decatur Elementary School, St. Christopher CCD and St. John’s Lutheran Church. The FOPP received support from the Community Life Improvement Program.
Some of the unique items removed from the park included a calculator, snow shovel blade, Chinese ornament and chimes, headphones, a cassette tape adapter, a ceramic candleholder, a necklace made of seed beads, two pairs of eyeglasses, two pairs of sunglasses, a Frisbee, various sports balls, a half-empty wine bottle and half of a coconut.
The next monthly park cleanup will be on Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will meet in the picnic area along Frankford Avenue between Solly Avenue and Ashburner Street. Volunteers should wear long pants and sturdy, comfortable footwear. Bug repellent and sunscreen are recommended. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. FOPP will provide supplies and refreshments. Call 215–934-PARK or email to PennypackCleanup@gmail.com for information. ••
