THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, May 3, 2019 Page 3 Earth Day Cleanup Residents of many communities cleaned up Saugus’s portion of the Northern Strand Community Trail how clean it is,” said Fish, who is president of the Hammersmith Homeowners Association, a group that represents 143 houses. “We didn’t find a lot of litter out there today. The biggest things were nips and broken glass from beer bottles,” he said. “A lot of people didn’t show today because of the weather. We had a young fellow from Saugus who is 17,” he said. THE GANG IS ALL HERE: A group of Bike to the Sea, Inc. members, most of them from six outof-town communities, were part of the Earth Day work crew that cleaned up the Saugus part of the rail trail last Saturday. By Mark E. Vogler T he two and a half mile stretch through Saugus is just a small part of the 10.5mile Northern Strand Community Trail that spans through five communities. But last Saturday, most of the 14 members of the group Bike to the Sea, Inc. came from outof-town to participate in an Earth Day cleanup of the trail along the Saugus River. They were residents of Everett, Malden, Melrose, Lynn, Somerville, Revere and Reading – all of them sharing a passion for bicycling and a commitment to move litter, rubbish and wood debris from the section of the rail trail behind the former O’Brien’s Pub to a resting spot they call the Jim Tozza Bench. “It’s much more than a Saugus thing,” Jay Cobau said of the group that assembled for the cleanup. Cobau, a Melrose resident who is Vice President of Bike to the Sea, Inc. said it didn’t matter that he and the other outof-towners were cleaning up the Saugus portion of the trail. “It’s a community thing. The entire bike path is a community resource … shared by people of several towns. And by being here, we’re making a statement to the public that this is a beautiful resource and we don’t want people throwing garbage “We have been with Adult Foster Care of the North Shore for over five years. They have been there for us through thick and thin. When my husband passed away and I didn’t know how to tell Gerry, AFCNS was there to help.” Mary, Caregiver to Son, Gerry 978-281-2612 AdultFosterCareNS.com Celebrating 18 Years Cobau said he has noticed some dramatic improvement in the condition of the rail trail since Bike to the Sea began the cleanups several years ago. “When we started this, you could not see the river. It was all overgrown. But we’ve cleared the brush so you can see it [the river] now,” he said. “During our first year, we CLEANUP | SEE PAGE 9 dine drink TRAIL ORIENTATION: The Bike to the Sea, Inc. kiosk that sets at the entrance of the rail trail in Saugus behind the former O’Brien’s Pub. (Saugus Advocate photos by Mark E. Vogler) on it,” he said. “My wife and I ride this bike path almost every week in the summer, and we come through Saugus. I’ve been at Bike to the Sea for 25 years.” Bike to the Sea President Janet Green, of Malden, said the turnout here was good considering the inclement weather the bicyclists confronted when they showed up to begin their work detail. “Fourteen people is pretty good even on a rainy, gray, cold and windy day,” Green said. “On a nice day, we would have gotten about 40 people out here – just like we did last year. But we still got a lot done anyway. We picked up eight big trash bags of debris and tons of brush,” she said. Gus Fish, one of four Saugus residents who took part in the Earth Day cleanup, said he has been a member of Bike to the Sea for 15 years. He’s seen firsthand what a difference the Earth Day work crews can have if they make their cleanups annually. “It shocked me gather enjoy THE NORTH SHORE'S HOTTEST NIGHTCLUB! Friday, May 3 Saturday, May 4 Country & Comedy AYLA BROWN & RON BELLAMY New England's #1 Aerosmith Tribute Band DRAW THE LINE with Comedian DAVE RUSSO Friday, May 10 Saturday, May 11 U2 Tribute Sensation JOSHUA TREE Eagles Musical Tribute Experience Friday, May 17 at 8 PM LAVISH with 80's REUNION BAND Saturday, May 18 Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute VYNTYGE SKYNYRD with guests: REVOLVER Friday, May 3 THE MIGHTY QUINN COMEDY FUNDRAISER A SAUGONIAN AT WORK: Gus Fish was one of four Saugus residents who took part in the Earth Day cleanup on the Saugus portion of the Northern Strand Community Trail last Saturday. SEVERAL COMMUNITIES CARE: Jay Cobau, a Melrose resident who is Vice President of Bike to the Sea, Inc., said bicyclists from out of town don’t want to see the Saugus section of the rail trail desecrated by trash. Every Tuesday Night OPEN MIC with BRIAN MAES Open to all ages! Tickets on Eventbrite.com Registration 7:30 PM 221 Newbury Street, Danvers For Tickets call (978) 774-7270 or www.breakawaydanvers.com
4 Publizr Home