PROGRAM READIES PARKS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

From left: New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson; Rob Maravilla, New Rochelle Parks and Recreation, Parks foreman; Vincent Parise, New Rochelle Parks and Recreation, deputy commissioner; Bill Zimmermann, New Rochelle Parks and Recreation commissioner; and Jeanette Gisbert, Volunteer New York! executive director.

Volunteer New York! and the city of New Rochelle Parks and Recreation Department teamed up for Earth Day, April 24 and April 25, to host their annual Volunteer New Rochelle! Day of Service Clean-up. The program was expanded from three clean-up sites to 11 neighborhood and waterfront sites across the city of New Rochelle.

Over the clean-up weekend, 350 volunteers worked together in rain and sunshine and removed enough trash to fill 130 bags; several yards of dangerous debris were removed from trails and playgrounds; new wood chips restored; and park benches and picnic tables were scraped and stained.

“Our parks and natural resources are utilized all year long and have been especially valuable during the dark months of the pandemic,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Bill Zimmermann. “We”™re proud to see the way local New Rochelle residents were the ones to show up to support their neighborhood parks this year and lead these clean-up efforts”¦.”

Volunteer New York! Executive Director, Jeanette Gisbert said, “We”™re grateful to the city of New Rochelle for valuing the role volunteerism can play to build stronger, more resilient communities, while bringing people closer. ”¦”