The cleanup effort along the Naugatuck River in Derby went fantastic.  Dozens of volunteers including every-day citizens, city officials, and UI workers came out to lend a hand.  The sad thing is that while we made a major dent in removing the piles of trash, it would probably take the same amount of volunteers another ten weekends to remove all the garbage that remains.

My friend Ricky and I were quoted in the New Haven Register:

"Derby resident Sean Henri not only walks the greenway but kayaks the
Naugatuck and he has seen firsthand the debris that litters what could
be a pretty hillside. What he saw from his kayak is what prompted Henri
to volunteer Saturday.

“I am shocked. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” he said, looking around.

His friend, Ansonia resident Ricky Donnelly, said he hopes residents of houses above the river keep the woods clean from now on.

“I don’t know why people would want that in your backyard. It’s an eyesore,” he said."

Video can be found here.

The Housatonic Valley Association and city officials from Derby, Connecticut, have announced a "Cleanup of the Naugatuck River Day" on March 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The area being focused on is a stretch of land that runs along the banks of the Naugatuck River opposite of the Derby Greenway. 

Anyone who uses and enjoys the Greenway and the river is encouraged to come lend a helping hand.  Volunteers are asked to meet in the Tailgators parking lot at 8pm with rakes, boots, and other appropriate cleanup gear.  However, they are asked not to park in the restaurant's parking lot.

Bulldozer time has been donated by city resident Bill Korelyshum so that a trail could be forged to the site, and Annex Associates of New Haven has donated a dumpster.  United Illuminating owns some of the property along the river and will be sending employees to contribute to the cleanup.

If interested in volunteering, please RSVP to the event page on Facebook, or call the mayors office at (203) 736-1450