The prediction of a rainy Saturday has forced city leaders to postpone Haverhill’s Annual Earth Day Cleanup a week.
Haverhill’s Brightside Annual Earth Day Cleanup had been scheduled for Saturday, April 26, but organizer David LaBrode said his group, after consulting with Haverhill Recreation Director Ben Delaware, decided the delay was prudent.
“Because the weather forecast looks less than ideal for outdoor activities this Saturday, we decided to postpone until Saturday, May 3,” LaBrode said. “Mother Nature always finds a way of throwing us curves here in New England, especially in the spring, but we do need the rain.”
The base of operations will also move from the Citizen Center to Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, behind Haverhill High School at 137 Monument St. The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Delaware said 200 people have signed up so far and that he is hoping the extra week will increase participation. Volunteers will clean up litter and overgrown weeds at 50 sites including traffic islands, neighborhood pocket parks and other recreational spaces from Bailey Boulevard and the Buttonwoods Riverside Trail to Windsor and Wysocki parks.
Volunteers are asked to meet at Veterans Memorial Rink any time after 8:30 a.m. to check in, pick up snacks, coffee, water, an event T-shirt and clean up supplies.
“We will supply trash bags, gloves and a limited number of trash grabbers,” LaBrode said. Volunteers should bring rakes and other gardening tools from home if they have them.”
So that Earth Day cleaners are spread around the city and covering as many sites as possible, LaBrode is asking participants to pick a location and sign up on the Haverhill Recreation website, HaverhillRec.com.
“Or to just show up at the ice rink on the morning of the event and we will assign you a location,” he added.
Those with questions may email LaBrode at [email protected].