From South Orange Village:
Most people know River Day as the family-friendly event that brings together volunteers to clean up and celebrate our section of the Rahway River by removing as much trash as possible from its water and banks.
That’s true: every year volunteers remove bottles, cans, and wrappers, as well as bicycles, street signs, rugs, and shopping carts.
But that is not all, River Day also a great community connector.
The Rahway River literally connects us to towns up and down stream while also linking various Village groups of recreationalists, commuters, outdoor enthusiasts, pedestrians, nature watchers, students, athletes retrieving wayward balls, and… elected government officials.
Village Trustee and avid bird watcher, Bill Haskins, will tell you it connects us to wildlife as well. “I’ve seen Wood Ducks, King Fishers, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, hawks, Redwing Black Birds, the list is long! This river corridor is probably the best place in town to see a variety of bird species because so many thrive on the insects, fish, and other aquatic species around the river. It’s an amazing little cross section of nature right here in South Orange”.
“I love the River Day tradition of the South Orange coming together to clean up our local river while having a great time,” said Mayor, Sheena Collum, “It’s a wonderful way to take action to help our environment and appreciate all the other communities this river links us with.” South Orange Council Member and Environmental Commission liaison, Olivia Lewis-Chang added, “Since the state’s Get Past Plastic initiative started we’re seeing fewer plastic bags during the cleanup but we still have a long way to go with other forms of trash. I look forward to the day when River Day is only about our community and the beauty of the river.”
If you want to learn more about the river that connects all these communities, spend some time on River Day with the exhibits of the 7th grade scientists from South Orange Middle School, the riparian experts from the Rahway River Watershed Association, or the knowledgeable representatives of the S.O. Public Library. You can take a break from picking up trash to appreciate the river that connects us all.
River Day kicks off Sunday, May 5th, 2024, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Rain Date May 12th) at the Skate House by the pond in Meadowland Park (off Mead St.) in South Orange. Save time in line by pre-registering on the SOEC website. For updates, including Rain Date notification, follow South Orange Village and the South Orange Environmental Commission on social media @southorangevillage and @sogreenteam.
