By Rebecca Oldham
On Saturday, May 3, the city of Port Republic hosted a successful citywide cleanup event that brought together residents of the community in an effort to revitalize the town. The event is funded through a state grant from the New Jersey Clean Communities Program, which provides volunteer work for community members. Since its establishment in 1986, the Clean Communities Program has promoted volunteer cleanup of public lands and reduced litter through education and volunteerism. The Atlantic County Utilities Authority, or ACUA, has managed the program for Atlantic County since 2005 and plays a key role in coordinating county events and distributing supplies.
This year, Port Republic had a turnout of over a dozen community members volunteering to clean up trash throughout the town. The program supplies volunteers with safety shirts, gloves, trash bags and pickup tools to ensure a safe and effective event. Delegation of roads and areas is left to volunteers, with many choosing to clean around their own streets first. For safety reasons, children are assigned to less hazardous areas such as the Harry Bowen Memorial Park and the Port Beach. They participate in supervised activities such as picking up litter from the city’s shoreline, playground, and other open green spaces like the baseball field. Meanwhile, the adult volunteers take on the main roads such as Pitney and Old New York Road.
Multiple families showed up for the event on Saturday, eager to contribute their time to the cleanup initiative. Brandy Blevin, city hall municipal clerk and Port Republic representative, showed excitement for the program’s turnout and success.
“Usually, we get a lot of young kids and families, which is nice because the kids love it,” Blevin said.
It’s a great way for children to start volunteering and hopefully foster their desire to participate in other local volunteer programs as well. Their excitement not only creates a fun atmosphere but also brings parents and other community members out as well. It’s a shared sense of community responsibility that motivates residents to take part in the cleanup. Of course, the free lunch provided afterward is just an extra incentive and a kind way to say thanks.
This annual event not only helps preserve Port Republic but also creates and fosters a strong sense of neighborhood pride, environmental education and responsibility. Throughout the years, Port Republic has noticed an increase in litter, finding discarded waste such as plastic materials, cigarettes, and even miniature liquor bottles along the city’s streets and municipal fields. The cleanup initiative is a reliable and efficient way for the community to dispose of litter of that kind. The event aims to enhance and restore Port Republic’s beauty and maintain environmental standards. Mayor Niki Giberson participated in Saturday’s event, stating the reason for this great turnout is town pride and respect for Port Republic.
“It’s a unique town, you know, there’s nothing quite like it. People want to preserve that. Programs like these give them a sense of community responsibility,” Giberson said.
Resident Jessica Lock volunteered to bring the town back to life. She was inspired by other town cleanups and decided to show up for her community by cleaning the roads with other participants.
“I was inspired by a cleanup my girlfriend went to in Delaware. She cleaned up Slaughter Beach and had the best time, so it made me want to do my own,” Lock said. Lock and other volunteers participated in cleaning the Mill Pond Trails and Riverside Drive on the other side of the beach.
After 24 years of the city-wide cleanup, originally started by Doris Bugdon, Port Republic managed to host another successful event this past weekend while bringing together members of the community once again.
Rebecca Oldham is an emerging journalist and writer located in South Jersey’s Pine Barrens. She enjoys writing about the arts and all things community.
