Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 12, 2025 Saugus Citizens in Action Volunteer work crew found more than 100 hypodermic needles during cleanup of route 1 trash-filled area By Mark E. Vogler A small group of citizens and town officials on a mission to clean up abandoned homeless campsites and litter-strewn areas throughout the community put in some hazardous duty last Friday (Dec. 5). Selectman Frank Federico participated in his first work party and brought a pair of Kevlar gloves so that everyone among the dozen volunteers could protect themselves from getting stuck while handling discarded hypodermic needles used by street people to inject themselves with drugs. “It’s sad to think that we have these areas in Saugus and even worse to find some of the objects left behind,” Selectman Anthony Cogliano told The Saugus Advocate this week. “The last one had over 100 used needles which were picked up with Kevlar gloves and disposed of. We want to make sure no one wanders in these areas and gets hurt,” Cogliano said. “Our goal is to clean them all out while they are abandoned. We also need to put a plan in place to address them before the inhabitants attempt to return when the THE CLEANUP CREW: A volunteer corps of citizens and town officials assisted by Leo Getz and his Junkster Bags’ crew and equipment cleaned up an area off of Route 1 North in Saugus last Friday. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) weather warms up again,” he said. Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini, who volunteered in a previous cleanup, joined the work crew of about a dozen that spent an hour gathering litter in an area behind La-Z-Boy on Route 1 North in Saugus. Other volunteers included Chris Riley, Jim Harrington, Daniel Arinello, Dave DeFilippo and Junkster Bags owner Leo Getz – who again donated the use of his company equipment and workers for cleaning up another debris field. “We had jars full of hypodermic needles,” said Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Robert J. Camuso, Sr., who organized the group along with Cogliano. “I think everyone put a handful into a bottle to put safely into the Junkster Bags. It’s sad to see it in Saugus, but it’s a real issue – all the drug use we’re finding,” Camuso said. “We also found a junk moped, tires, tarps and other stuff. It took us about an hour, the toughest part was dragging the bags so the boom crane could hoist them up and over the 6-foot fence. The more people, the easier and the faster it goes.” Camuso credited the Junkster Bag boom crane with making a challenging cleanup much easier, saving the volunteers the need to drag A BIG BAG OF JUNK: This is one of several large bags of litter that a volunteer crew removed from an area behind a Route 1 North business last Friday. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) the bags 50 yards up a hill to an opening in the fence. “This makes four successful site cleanups we all did, with Anthony Cogliano and the Leo Getz Junkster Bags team leading the way,” he said. The group planned to head toward an area near Target on Route 1 South today (Friday, Dec. 12) to clean up another abandoned campsite with a field of litter left behind. With the potential for snowfall and the threat of harsh winter weather, the volunteers will soon suspend the work crews until more favorable weather. Plans are already underway HYPOS IN A BOTTLE: While wearing Kevlar gloves to protect himself from being stabbed by a dirty needle discarded by a drug user at a homeless camp, Selectman Anthony Cogliano stuffed the drug paraphernalia in a glass bottle. The crew of volunteers that cleaned up an abandoned campsite behind La-Z-Boy on Route 1 North in Saugus last Friday recovered more than 100 needles. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) for a cleanup near the Square One Mall in the springtime. “From what I heard, it’s a big cleanup job that might take a couple of days,” Camuso said. “Hopefully, Anthony and Leo can resume these cleanup events again in the springtime and it keeps going and growing!” Be prepared before the next power outage. Dr. Rosemonde Paulo DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC Mindset Psychiatric & Wellness LLC 26 Ferry St., Everett, MA 02149 Phone: (781) 242-5401 Fax: (781) 205-1973 Email: Info@mindsetpsychiatricwellness.com Receive a free 5-year warranty with qualifying purchase* - valued at $535. Call 866-852-0221 to schedule your free quote!
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