The Church of God in Bogota held the Church’s 3,845th World Wide Cleanup in Veterans Memorial Park in Ridgefield on Sunday, July 2. The town had an early Independence Day celebration Saturday night, leaving much debris from fireworks scattered on the ground. Some of this waste was potentially hazardous. However, Church volunteers worked in conjunction with the Bergen County Cleanup Campaign to remove it.

Volunteers woke up bright and early on Sunday morning and gathered at Veterans Memorial Park. Though waking up early, they enthusiastically lent a helping hand to the Ridgefield Department of Public Works. At 8 a.m., about 80 volunteers arrived and divided themselves into teams to clean the park before residents could re-enter the park by 10 a.m. The firework debris could be dangerous, especially in the hands of small children. Nevertheless, the cleanup restored a safe environment for families to enjoy the park at their leisure. As a result of the cleanup recyclable and non-recyclable debris totaled at 1.5 tons.

Mayor Anthony Suarez came to acknowledge the good deeds of Church members, thanking them for their efforts. Joseph Greco, the Superintendent of Public Parks of the town of Ridgefield, also expressed his appreciation, saying, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much.”

Additionally, Councilman James Kontolios, the Liaison for the Environmental Commission, made an appearance at the cleanup. It was a thrill for him to see young adults put forth positive actions. “It is a noble thing—your dedication to your faith,” Councilman Kontolios said.

Mildred Rojas, the Community Coordinator of Works of the Department of Public Works, coordinated the cleanup. She was eager to set up the cleanup from the beginning. In fact, she was so pleased that she commended the volunteers for their cooperation. “You [Church of God] came through for us. There were no complaints, no arguments, you work hard and that’s truly appreciated. It’s a pleasure working with you,” said Rojas.

The town of Ridgefield and the Church of God hope to continue collaborations for future events and cleanups. The Church of God also received a proclamation from the City of Hackensack for their recent volunteer initiatives to raise awareness for environmental preservation. As a result, the members are ready with excitement to assist their communities all the more. Click here to learn more about volunteering with the World Mission Society Church of God.