Picking Up What Nature Leaves Behind

Warren's Glenhurst Trails aren't ready for hikers yet—the ground is saturated with water and the trails are too muddy—but after about 20 volunteers helped pick up debris along the trails Sunday, it's closer to being ready for hikers.

The project was lead by the Warren Blue Ridge Sportsmen Club, which focused its efforts Sunday on removing the larger items volunteers came across, such as tires and pallets—which reinforced where most of the debris comes from: the overflowing Cory's Brook.

The volunteers included Boy Scouts from Warren Troop 228 and several residents. Mayor Carolann Garafola said she was glad to see the project become more of a community event than something the township or just the sportsmen club undertakes.

"Blue Ridge has been cleaning up the Dead River for years, but Eleanora (Hermann, recreation director) sent out an email to Scouts and it became more of a community event—and that's what it should be," she said.

Residents tromped through the wet grounds, plucking beer can and water bottles out of bushes—residents Desiree DeNouri and Bill Hoke's three boys, Tyler, Jake and Cole, jumped into puddles and ran through brambles to get to any garbage they found. Members of the Warren Blue Ridge Sportsmen, who had started cleaning the area two weeks ago, worked on removing a huge tree that had fallen over the brook.

The end result was another pile of trash collected, and miles of trails that will be ready for the coming hikers.