Volunteers cleaned along the Fulton Canal Marina to remove trash and beautify the city.
The group of volunteers that participated in the 2017 Earth Day Canal Clean Sweep hosted by Friends of Fulton Parks.
A youngster stands under the Fulton Canal Park sign after volunteering to clean the area.
Volunteers collect trash along the Fulton Canal Marina aside the Oswego River.
Volunteers cleaned along the Fulton Canal Marina to remove trash and beautify the city.
A volunteer picks up trash from Veterans Park.
Volunteers young and old worked together to clean and beautify Veterans Park.
Volunteers of all ages showed up for Fulton’s Canal Clean Sweep.
Volunteers worked from top to bottom to clean the area of Fulton from South First St. to the Oswego River.
Volunteers worked from top to bottom to clean the area of Fulton from South First St. to the Oswego River.
A volunteer removes trash and debris from a plaque memorial at Veterans Park.
Friends of Fulton Parks hosted the fourth Canal Clean Sweep in the city of Fulton.
Overgrown branches and leaves are removed from Veterans Park.
Sixth ward councilman, Larry Macner removes trash after being collected by volunteers.
Volunteers break a sweat collecting garbage on Earth Day.
Volunteers celebrated Earth Day by picking up garbage and debris along the Oswego River.
Young children climb up the hill to collect garbage caught in the brush and trees.
Volunteers cut the overgrown branches along the River and in Fulton’s Veterans Park.
Volunteers collect trash beginning at the Fulton Downtown Gazebo and along the Fulton Canal Marina aside the Oswego River.
Volunteers signed up for the Canal Clean Sweep in Fulton of which the first 20 volunteers received free t-shirts.
Volunteers spotted a duck on their return to the gazebo, recognizing the importance of keeping the area clear of garbage and debris.
FULTON, NY – Roughly 30 volunteers came together to work with Friends of Fulton Parks to honor Earth Day (April 22) by cleaning the area along the Oswego River and Fulton’s Veterans Park.
As part of the Parks & Trails NY and NYS Canal Corporation’s volunteer event, Canal Clean Sweep, Friends of Fulton Parks organized a local Canal Clean Sweep for the city of Fulton, the fourth year participating.
“I’m just proud to be a part of this community where people come together for things like this,” said FoFP president, Kelley Weaver.
Volunteers of all ages cleaned the Canal Landing Marina in Fulton along the Oswego River from the downtown gazebo to the public library.
Kids and adults alike picked up trash and debris, climbed the hills to retrieve garbage caught in the trees, and cut overgrown branches.
At the same time, volunteers worked at Veterans Park overlooking the Oswego River on S. First St. picking up garbage, raking leaves, removing branches and beautifying the park.
“I think it’s a matter of personal responsibility,” said volunteer, Tim Carroll who has been participating in Earth Day cleanups since 2005. “This shows that individuals can make a difference.”
Together, the volunteer group hopes that the start to their Earth Day pick up can inspire other city residents to do their part.
“It’s more than just the visual amount of trash picked up. People notice when it has been cleaned up and not as messy, but it’s the inertia created when we do things like this. People will see this or notice a cleaner city and hopefully will feel motivated to pick up some trash on their next walk. It comes back to that personal responsibility,” Carroll added.
Robin Kulibert and her husband Rick Kulibert were in search of something local to do for Earth Day this year when they happened upon the FoFP’s Canal Clean Sweep.
Having never heard of the FoFP group, the couple volunteered at the event and made a spontaneous connection in the process.
While volunteers worked at Veterans Park and along the Canal, volunteers were also present at Recreation Park next to Lake Neatahwanta, preparing the park for landscaping to plant native flower species, Weaver said.
Kulibert, owner of Nannyberry Native Plants on Maple Aveenue in Fulton, was able to offer their nursery’s services to provide the native flowers for the park.
“This is what happens, these kinds of connections, when people come out and join together,” Weaver said.
“It feels good, it’s community development, getting to know each other and cleaning up our community,” Robin Kulibert said of the event, noting that the new connection with FoFP was added benefit.
At the same time, Village Shops hosted an Earth Day Chicken BBQ for ten dollar dinners on the corner of West First and Oneida Streets as a fundraiser for FoFP.
Additionally, GRB students hosted a Bottle and Can Drive as a fundraiser for a student led project with FoFP at Lake Neatahwanta of which details have yet to be released. The students’ Bottle and Can Drive is ongoing through the school year, at Great Lakes Bottle and Can Return on West First and Hannibal Streets.
Donors can drop off their bottles and cans and tell them it is for the Friends of Fulton Parks.
FoFP allowed Fulton to join other local municipalities and volunteer groups to also honor Earth Day with a Canal Clean Sweep including Minetto with the Minetto Beautification Committee, Oswego with the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, Friends of Great Bear, and Friends of Battle Island.
missing or outdated ad config
Kelly Weaver is not the Founder of friends of Fulton Parks.
The good news is that the river is probably less polluted than when industry was thriving and jobs were plentiful. Luckily high taxes and union contracts put an end to that.
Thank you to everyone who helped out on a brisk Earth Day morning! Each contribution is vital. We will be working alongside our new friends from “Team Red, White, and Blue” again to landscape Veterans Park. Team RWB is a nation-wide organization dedicated to enriching the lives of veterans through physical fitness and social activity, such as community service. To join the team, visit http://www.teamrwb.org or email [email protected].