ELIZABETH / WESTFIELD, NJ — How do you change the world? Do you do it one step at a time, or do you multiply that figure by 40 steps? During the week of Monday, June 28, 40 youth from the First Presbyterian Church in Westfield High School Mission Trip program and their advisers joined Groundwork staff to work on a series of projects designed to improve the environment, urban agriculture and, most importantly, the lives of members of New Jersey’s fourth-largest urban community.
The group worked at two locations. At the Groundwork Elizabeth MicroFarm and Environmental Center, located at 740 W. Grand St., in the rear of the Elmora Branch of the Elizabeth Public Library, the team constructed a greenhouse, planted an “A to Z” flower garden, built compost beds and community garden beds, laid stone and piping to help drainage, and installed fencing. At nearby Phil Rizzuto Park on Morris Avenue, named for the Hall of Fame Yankee shortstop and announcer, the team removed invasive plants, helped mulch trails, cleared trash and debris, and helped to firm up an eroding riverbank.
For more information about Groundwork, visit www.groundworkelizabeth.org or visit its social media sites. To learn more about the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, visit its website at https://www.westfieldpc.org/visit-us/our-history/.