Gloucester City Group Offers Service Program to Senior Citizens
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
By Kelly Ann Sibree
NEWS Correspondent
The Gloucester City Community Gardening and Beautification Association
has many ideas and plans to make Gloucester City a better place, such as a service program to help senior citizens and the disabled.
PHOTO: Community Garden at Market and Atlantic Sts., taken in June 2010
This project will have volunteers to come and clean up the yards of
those who cannot do it themselves, said Joyce Calzonetti and Mickey Glassman, co-chairpersons of the newly formed Association.
If residents, or their loved ones, are in need of such help, email the association at [email protected].
Also welcome are residents’ ideas to keep Gloucester City looking green and beautiful.
The Association is all about keeping the town clean and groomed, Calzonetti and Glassman said they hope that by doing this they will attract new residents and businesses.
The Association began when the Tree and Beautification Committee had
split into two separate groups earlier this year – The Gloucester City Shade Tree Committee and The Gloucester City Community Gardening and Beautification Association.
The Association has already created one community garden on Market Street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, and has plans to make two more as soon as possible, the chairpersons said.
One new garden will be across from the original one, and the other will be located behind the Wawa.
The community gardens bring neighbors together and provide produce for Gloucester, which is labeled as a “food desert” because there is no major food market in the area, Glassman said. This means limited access to fresh vegetables for people who cannot drive.
Another Association pro-ject is a curb appeal program to clean up the corners of the streets around the town. They want everyone to help with this effort to keep the town clean.
Also, the group is in the process of restoring the “Iron Lady” statue in Propietor’s Park. They will put the statue on a pedestal to keep it off the ground, and remove all graffiti from it.
In order to make Gloucester City look more attractive, the Association plans to hang baskets of flowers in the business district next spring, Calzonetti said.
Residents who see problems around town can bring complaints to the group, which will then bring them to the attention of City officials.
To help with the beautification effort, any landlords and homeowners should be sure that their properties remain clean and groomed.
The Gloucester City Community Gardening and Beautification Association is a non-profit organization, and would greatly appreciate any monetary donations that can be made.
The group is also seeking the donations of any gardening tools that are no longer used.
Checks can be made out to Camden City Garden Club, and in the memo section of the check “Gloucester City Account” must be written. Send them to the Municipal Complex, 512 Monmouth St., Gloucester City.
Calzonetti and Glassman said they were encouraged by the 40-plus people who showed up at the Association open meeting last week, and the opportunity to make Gloucester City a more attractive place to live and work.
Volunteers are welcome, and encouraged to participate.
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