Let us try, all of us

To the editor: I cannot help it, but I have to write this down. Just maybe someone or all of us - might read, see, act. The beauty of Warwick and Orange County has never stopped enchanting both my husband Frederick Franck - who died June 5, 2006 - and me on our long trips around the county. I just came back from such a trip on this beautiful day. Trees are trying to start their leaves and we have even some small yellow flowers. We have lived in New Milford - three miles from Main Street Warwick - for close to 50 years in our old beloved house “Ontwyck” (which means in Dutch “Escape”). We were both born in Holland a long, long ago! But then, I become totally disgusted or worse, and immensely sad. This wonderful place, this Orange County, is covered with litter. Driving on Jessup Road to Goshen, it is almost quite unbelievable - the bottles, cans, plastic bags and paper on both sides of the road and this is seen everywhere in Orange County - on Route 94 most especially. How would it be if we would make Orange County the most litter-free county in New York State? No throwing of anything at all out of the car, nothing, not the smallest wrapper. I have tried to pick up, especially around my home, but at 89 this isn’t easy. But wouldn’t it be worth a try? Let us try, all of us: Nothing to be thrown out of the car! That would be an enormous spring present for all of us! Earth Day should be every day. Please note: Frederick Franck transformed the 18th century mill on Covered Bridge Road with Bert Willemse - which had become a garbage dump - into Pacem in Terris: Peace on Earth - a place for everyone, literally a trans-religious place for all, with his sculptures along the Wawayanda River. Thousands of people have come and walked in our backyard, in the Dove Garden and have sat in silence in Pacem itself and no one has ever in more than 40 years left so much as one piece of litter. We would like to see this courtesy extended throughout our county. We’ll open again May 3 until the end of October every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. With hopeful and warm thoughts to all Warwickians and Orange Countians. Claske Franck Pacem in Terris Warwick