‘Lose The Litter’

Reminder Flies Over Queen Street

By Kendra Bobowick

Wet and torn in places, one community banner snarled by the wind and hung above Queen Street came down Monday morning as another reminder went up.

“Be Here for Lose The Litter Day” read the bold, all capital black letters running across a canvas now strung across the street in front of Newtown Middle School, touting one of many Earth Day 2009 events. Below the message were important details: April 25, 9 am to 1 pm. While an Earth Day celebration including vendors, displays, environmental lessons, and children’s activities will occupy the school’s front lawn from 10 am to 4 pm on the last weekend of April, the Newtown Lions Club will hold its annual Lose The Litter day.

“We wanted to make it an even better Earth Day and an even better Lose the litter Day,” said Lions member Gordon Williams. His hope is that residents will pick up a trash collection bag, attend Earth Day, and either later that day or on a following day, commit to cleaning a section of road. “Make it nicer in Newtown,” he said. Volunteers can drop off bags at the Newtown Highway Department on Peck’s Lane, or deposit them with their curbside trash.

Despite a cutting wind and drizzle chilling the morning on Monday, highway department crews looked up as Keven Belden — secured by his harness — held a rolled-up banner off the side of the bucket extended off the back of a truck. Rising at least 25 feet above Queen Street he gripped two corners and let the banner unfurl. Moving his bucket toward a wire strung between utility poles, he secured the banner, foot-by-foot until the entire message was visible. Between 9:30 and 10 am, drivers passing the middle school caught a glimpse of the work-in-progress.

On April 25 beginning at 9 am at the school, green-minded residents can retrieve a Lose the Litter bag. From 10 am until 4, Earth Day beckons to guests who can enjoy coffee from Mocha throughout the morning and afternoon, visit demonstrations for planting seeds from Holmes Fine Gardens, enjoy yoga demonstrations from Graceful Planet, hear from the Newtown High School’s Ecology Club, sign up to receive renewable energy through your utility provider, run through an environmental maze, join Town Historian Dan Cruson on an Ecology Walk, and more. Visit GoGreenNewtown.com for more details.

See related story about recycling poster contest winners from Newtown’s schools.