“There was a lot of trash in and around the creek area and we wanted to raise awareness about protecting the creek, so we partnered with a number of local merchants and the ACUA and started doing a one-day cleanup,” Jim Rutala said while looking back on the beginnings of the Patcong Creek Cleanup & Picnic, now in its 15th year.
Rutala, a Linwood resident and founding member of the Linwood Environmental Commission, said this year’s event, scheduled for Sunday, May 22, offers an opportunity to get out in the great outdoors and pick up trash and other debris in and around the creek, which is a tributary of the Great Egg Harbor River and part of the Wild and Scenic River System.
Volunteers individually and with local organizations will spend a couple of hours removing debris from the creek and then enjoy a waterfront luncheon hosted by Ocean Heights Marina for their effort.
Participants work from both land and water to beautify and boost the health of the natural environment.
Rutala said participation generally is between 50 and 100 people, likely depending on the weather.
“We try to get as many people as possible,” he said, noting the partnership with Lisa Bender, chairwoman of the Somers Point Green Team; and the Atlantic County Utilities Authority, which provides all of the materials, everything from shirts to bags to pickers; and Linwood public works, which does all the trash and recycling pickup.
Bender said the Linwood Environmental Commission reached out to her group years ago and she started getting involved, then became more involved through the defunct Patcong Creek Foundation.
Bender said it was a paddle-only event for a long time, with boats picking up heavier or bulky debris from the kayaks and canoes, noting there is a convenient spot outside Paddle Shack at Ocean Heights Marina.
Depending on the state of the tide, some of the wetlands may be accessible on foot. In recent years, boats have ferried people to inaccessible areas.
“That really helped to expand it,” she said, adding that boat owners, as well as those with kayaks, canoes and other paddle craft, are invited to attend.
This year, Rutala said, the group formed a new partnership with the Love – Blue chapter at Stockton University, which will be participating in the cleanup.
Bender said the creek and surrounding wetlands contain many species of wildlife and that removing debris from their habitat will help keep animals from ingesting things such as plastics or getting caught in bags or fishing line.
She said the wetlands environment is so beneficial to the region because it absorbs water, protecting against flooding, and filters water to keep it clean.
“There are really precious species from the bald eagle to the muskrat that make their home there,” Bender said, noting that muskrats, along with blue claw crabs, are good indicator species of the health of an ecosystem.
Rutala said after the hard work, the group is treated to “a nice lunch at Ocean Heights Marina, where we give out prizes for who found the weirdest object, prizes for kids who participated and try to make it a fun event,” Rutala said.
“It’s very important to me and to our community,” he said.
A city planner by trade, Rutala said the efforts over the past decade and a half appear to have made a difference.
“The Patcong Creek has really changed,” he said. “We always had boaters and osprey, but now we have bald eagles … it has really become a sanctuary.”
“It’s so nice because you are getting together with like-minded people who care about the environment and have a good time coming out,” Bender said.
SCHEDULE
— 9:30 to 10 a.m.: Supply pickup at Linwood Public Works Yard
— 10 a.m. to noon: Clean up land or creek
— Noon to 1:30 p.m.: Picnic on the waterfront at Ocean Heights Marina, 5001 Ocean Heights Avenue.
Getting involved
— Gather friends, family, Scout troop, faith group, business, club, team, neighborhood, youth group, school or just yourself and make a commitment to improve your community.
— Register by Friday, May 20, by emailing a registration form to City Clerk Leigh Ann Napoli at lnapoli@linwoodcity.org.
— Four drop-in locations: Poplar Avenue bridge, Hamilton Avenue boat ramp, Ocean Heights Avenue (Egg Harbor Township side) and Somers Point–Mays Landing Road bridge
All supplies are provided and participants will receive a free T-shirt and lunch.
The event is sponsored by the Linwood Environmental Commission in partnership with the city of Linwood, city of Somers Point, Linwood Public Works Department, Lang’s Garden Market, Playland’s Castaway Cove, Walt’s Original Primo’s Pizza, Glenn Insurance, Linwood Green Team, Somers Point Green Team, Ocean Heights Marina, Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Love Blue – Stockton Chapter, NJDEP Clean Communities Program and La Pizzatega.
For more information and to register, call (609) 927-4108.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
