As Printed in The Ocean Grove Record
By Joe Kienzlen
Special to the Record
The weatherman’s prediction of precipitation certainly wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits, enthusiasm and commitment of dozens of local volunteers who showed up early on Saturday, May 13, to help clean-up and beautify their community.
The festive and colorful event, Midtown Beautification Day, �Take Pride in Your Neighborhood� was sponsored by the Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation (MURC) and based out of their information center on West Lake Avenue.
MURC President Gail Oliver said a majority of the organization’s members participated in the clean up and were joined by local residents and youth members from a number of nearby churches and students from the Neptune High School and Middle School.
Describing the event Oliver said, �It’s to bring pride back into our community and to make it look good again and raise the consciousness in the community that this is where you live; keep it clean, don’t litter.�
�We want residents to pick up their garbage and if they see something that needs to be cleaned; then go ahead and do that,� she said. �You’re empowered to do that.�
Karin Lazarus, Secretary/treasurer of the community’s newest service organization, the Shore Optimist Club, said that in addition to the clean up, she felt the event helped in a number of ways. �Those who volunteered to give their time today really got a lot of good information that they will be able to take back into the community and put into practice. For those who drove by or stopped by, they got to see first-hand the type of commitment that made today a success and hopefully they will also bring it back to the community,� she said. �For those who hear or read about it, they will learn that their neighbors are concerned and willing to help renew this community in a spirit of togetherness and strength that will make this proud community thrive.�
Organizer Diana Harris, MURC’s Vice-president, said volunteers were supplied with garbage bags, gloves and other clean up items, many donated by local businesses.
During the day residents were urged to bring their bulk items to the information center to be discarded in a large dumpster at the facility.
�Part of our purpose here today was to encourage resident throughout the midtown area to start to begin planting and get them into the idea of making their properties beautiful,� Harris said. �We have a big revitalization that’s coming down West Lake Avenue and we want to get people excited about it.�
Harris said the group will also be organizing Block Captains who will be working closely with the police department and code enforcement to help maintain the midtown as a �Litter Free Zone�.
In addition, the organization will be sponsoring a number of community programs including home buying, landscaping and first-time business owner workshops.
�We have been getting a lot of support from the community,� Harris said. �Hopefully people will want to get involved.�
Making their contribution to the community, by spending most of the morning digging holes and planting shrubs, were retired Assistant Superintendent of Neptune Schools James L. Terrell and his son, Jerard, Principal of Midtown Community School.
�What is happening here today in Neptune, is one of the most marvelous things that has happened in the West Lake area in a long, long time,� said James L. Terrell. �The hard work being done at this building (MURC Information Center) is just an indication of the beautification that will be taking place with the redevelopment along this avenue.�
The redevelopment plan calls for a village-type look with new buildings on both sides of West Lake Avenue that will house commercial space on the ground level and affordable condominiums and studio apartments above. A new park has also included in the plan.
�All of the community members that came out to help had a wonderful time and I truly believe we have raised pride midtown Neptune,� said MURC Coordinator Stephanie Brunson.
She said throughout the day, volunteers gave away approximately 75 plants and bushes to midtown residents, along with cases of garbage bags, gardening tools, brooms, cleaning supplies and food.
�We want to thank the whole community for all of their donations, volunteer work and support. We would also like to thank Deputy Mayor Michael Golub for his volunteer work in planting and Mayor Tom Catley for coming out and supporting this effort,� Brunson said. �The Midtown Beautification Day was a great success.�
Continuing Brunson said, �I believe that everyone who took part in this day, walked away with a new awareness of keeping our community clean and beautiful. I also believe that with continued support of the residents, who signed up to be block captains and the litter free zone signs spread throughout the community, we will see a renewed pride in Midtown Neptune.�
�What stuck me most about the clean up effort was the fact that the kids from that neighborhood were involved,� said Russell Hope, Financial Sales Consultant for PNC Bank and president of the Shore Optimist Club.
�They were not some outside group or charity organization just helping out. They were cleaning up the area because this is where they eat and sleep and hang out with friends,� he said. �Those kids know that everyone is responsible for their own mess, but if some
people refuse to be responsible, then the rest of us will have to pick up the slack so that we can make our town a more beautiful place to live.�
For more information about MURC or their upcoming programs and workshops or to request a lawn sign, contact Stephanie Brunson at the center at 732-775-1110.
