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NSA-Lakehurst Sailors provide helping hand in clean-up effort

  • Published
  • By Pascual Flores
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Sailors from Naval Support Activity-Lakehurst joined local community volunteers Oct. 19 with the Barnegat Bay Blitz clean-up in Plumsted Township and Pine Lake Park in Manchester Township.

Assistant Commissioner John Plonski, Department of Environmental Protection, briefly addressed the volunteers before they went to the field, thanking them for their participation in the clean-up effort.

"Some people don't realize debris, litter, garbage and gunk contribute to our pollution and get into our streams and can eventually get into our bay," said Plonski. "Our ultimate goal is to clean up and restore Barnegat Bay."

Six Sailors from Lakehurst accepted the challenge to pick up trash despite the rainy weather along the trails at Collier Mills Wildlife Management Area in New Egypt, N.J. Among the debris were automobile tires and plastic bags of garbage.

"Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is committed to stewardship of the natural resources entrusted to the base," said Lawrence Lemig, 87th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental engineer. "The servicemen and women volunteered to extend that spirit of stewardship to the surrounding communities to enable the base's goal of improving water quality from the banks of the Delaware to the shores of Barnegat Bay."

The clean-up process brought more than volunteers of the two-legged variety from other organizations and the surrounding communities.

Bev Vienckowski and her two llamas Jim-E and Carbon, pitched in with the clean-up in the Collier Mills WMA. The llamas carried cans and plastic bottles in bags tied across their backs from the trail to the final collection site.

"We are conducting this watershed-wide clean-up for two reasons," said Katie Barnett, Barnegat Bay Blitz co-chairperson. "We are here to clean up the watershed water and prevent liter from going into our streams, ultimately polluting our bay. We also want to raise awareness within the community and let people know what they do here also affects the bay-front community."

The stewardship commitment is part of the JB MDL Environmental Policy Statement signed by Col. John Wood, JB MDL and 87th Air Base Wing commander. The 87th CES Environmental Management System's Significant Aspect Objectives & Targets includes improving water quality in all three JB MDL watersheds.

"I feel very good about helping in the clean-up because I get to do two things in one. I get to enjoy nature and wildlife while improving my environment," said Navy Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class Blair Preston, native of Roanoke, Va. and currently assigned to NSA-Lakehurst.