Earth Day clean up Tuesday

FARMINGTON – What better way to celebrate Earth Day on Tuesday than to get out and clean up the town?

Organizer Jo-Anne Bean Palmer of Farmington came up with the idea to hold an Earth Day clean up on Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m., “as a way to give back to the community,” she said.

Bean Palmer and her husband Chris Palmer, both authors of children’s books, like to go for walks around town, often picking up roadside trash along the way. “Been thinking about this for a while; a spring cleaning for the town to help improve the environment,” Bean Palmer said.

She mentioned it to Sue Jones, board president of the Farmington Downtown Association, whose members embraced the idea and donated $50 towards the purchase of gloves and bags for participating volunteers.

Since then, groups and organizations have pledged their support and involvement. Reny’s is donating gloves and lollipops for the younger volunteers. A local Girl Scout troop, a team from Franklin Savings Bank, the public library, members of the University of Maine at Farmington’s Sustainable Campus Coalition, and the town’s Highway Department have promised their help.

Everyone is welcome to volunteer by stopping by The Pierce House front lawn anytime after 1 p.m. A table will be set up where a map with an area to clean up will be assigned to each group. Gloves and bags will be handed out.

The area to be cleaned up encompasses the downtown area that includes Front Street down to McDonald’s and beyond, depending on how many volunteers show up. Bottles and cans or other recyclable items will be bagged separately.

“It’s a cool tradition to start” Bean Palmer said. Call her at 778-2200 for any questions or jbeanpalmer@yahoo.com.

The first Earth Day was held in 1970, is observed globally with activities traditionally centered on environmental protections. The April 22 date relates to the northern hemisphere’s spring equinox and the southern Hemisphere’s fall equinox.