Sullivan Renaissance

Bundling Great Improvement Energy

By TRACY DENMAN

	Contributed photo Charlotte Ference of the Homestead School plants wooden flowers at the Mongaup Valley gazebo site. (Click for larger image)

Another week has gone by, and there are still some pretty big doings around these here parts, thanks to Sullivan Renaissance.

The folks in Mongaup Valley, especially Will Conway, sure have been working hard. On May 26, a cold, damp Saturday, Marsha and Peter Comstock of the Homestead School turned out at the local information gazebo. They arrived to help their second graders plant annuals around the gazebo and place some painted wooden flowers around there too. In weeks to come, there will be a painted map of Bethel’s sites of interest and a brochure rack with local business and events information. Mongaup also had one heck of a litter pluck this past Saturday, with the help of the Dancing Feather Foundation. Folks volunteered from Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) as well as from the community, scouring the 17B corridor past Mama Toma’s Pizza and Airport Road. By the time they finished, the Bethel town dump truck, driven by Jimmie Page, was filled to the brim.

Mongaup Valley Community Day is planned for Saturday, July 14 on Collins Baseball Field. Anybody wanting to lend a hand should e-mail Will Conway at wconway@catskill.net, or give Jamie Noeth a ring at 845/583-6151.

Out in Jeffersonville, Barbara Schmidt and Elizabeth Bucar have made sure that things are really happening for their Jeffersonville Enhancement of Main Street (JEMS). From the Schadt Memorial Walking Bride down to the Clock Tower, six new lanterns have been installed. They really give off a glow. Folks in town have also cleaned up their storefronts and put up hanging baskets all along Main Street. They are currently looking for more baskets to hang along the Walking Bridge. Since the alleyways needed some work, seven picket “garden” gates were constructed by Sullivan West Tech classes and will soon be installed, thanks to the younger folk in the local youth group.

For anyone looking to help out, there is a community cleanup of the creekside from the Schadt Memorial Bridge to behind Peck’s Market this Saturday, June 16. Meet at the bridge at 9:00 a.m. and bring high boots, gloves and stone rakes. On June 17, some of the local skateboarders have volunteered to help spruce up the guardrails along Route 52. On June 19, Sullivan West third and fifth graders will be planting flowers on Main Street. For more information call 845/482-5501.

That’s all for now, folks. Look forward to big doings from North Branch, Livingston Manor, Highland, Hurleyville, and Mountaindale in coming weeks.

[Organizers, if you have news, send it to me at tracy@riverreporter.com, or call me at 845/252-7414. Send fax releases to 845/252-3298 and send digital photos to editor@riverreporter.com.]