On a balmy Saturday morning in May, Great Neck’s Boy Scouts Troop 10 under the initiative of Legislator Ellen Birnbaum, cleaned 2 Nassau County maintained areas in Great Neck in appreciation of Earth Day. One group of boys cleared a wooded drainage area on Piccadilly Road and another group tackled an underbrush in Russell Gardens.
These areas are usually maintained by the Nassau County Department of Public Works. Now that Troop 10 has cleared 10 gigantic bags of garbage, branches and loose debris, their department need not revisit the areas for a while. Under the Boy Scout Motto of “Leave No Trace”, the boys of Troop 10 are very accustomed to park, campsite clean ups. Birnbaum surprised the boys by showing up at both locations with words of encouragement.
She shared with the boys how their participation in this clean up is part of a bigger picture of helping our community and our earth.
“Boy Scouts Troop 10 provides so many opportunities for young people to embrace the principles of community service, environmental preservation, and leadership,” Brinbaum said. “Thanks to everyone who rolled up their sleeves and came out to do local cleanups to help keep Great Neck beautiful. I encourage each of you to make a difference – get involved and follow whatever passions you may have. I also invite you to come visit me at the Nassau County Legislature and learn more about local government in action.”
