Annual spring cleanup attracts more volunteers than usual

WARWICK-Maybe it was the good weather or the publicity or a combination of the two. But according to Linda Glohs, executive director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce, the turnout for this year's annual roadside cleanup was extraordinary. "We had great coverage in our local media," said Glohs, "and it paid off. We also had lots of volunteers including some Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts." On Saturday, April 16, the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce sponsored the official annual roadside cleanup day throughout the entire town of Warwick. The cleanup began with refreshments and coffee at 8 a.m. and ran until noon. The Chamber also provided trash bags. "We should also do this in the fall," said Sarah Hock, a resident of Homestead Village who was randomly selected for a spring cleanup photograph while collecting trash all morning on Route 17A. By sheer coincidence, Hock, who is very concerned about the local environment, had also been interviewed by another reporter for a previous article about this year's roadside cleanup. That story appeared in The Warwick Advertiser on April 15. "I was interviewed last week," she admitted, "but I love talking about this. I do a lot of walking and I hate seeing the beauty of Warwick spoiled by thoughtless drivers who toss their trash out of the car window. I wish someone would post signs asking visitors or commuters to be more considerate."