Community Corner
Eagle Scouts Return for Another River Clean-Up
Eagle Scouts schedule another clean-up of the Raritan River on Sunday.
Old Eagle Scouts never die; they just keep on earning merit badges.
Literally buoyed by the success of their first Raritan River clean-up last month, Steven Van Deursen and Joseph David, who were Eagle Scouts before the turn of the century, are planning another clean-up of New Jersey’s longest river on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Their goal is to double the number of tires they collected from the riverbed on July 27. Helped by about 100 volunteers, Steven and Joe brought 100 tires to the surface on the stretch of the river from Neshanic Station to Raritan. On Sunday they want to double that total; that’s why they’re calling the operation, “Double Down.”
Sunday’s effort will begin at the Elm Street bridge between Branchburg and Hillsborough by the Neshanic Flea Market. Volunteers should arrive between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for sign-in and a breakfast meet-and-greet. Steven and Joe will provide water and snacks during the mission.
The two Eagle Scouts remind volunteers to wear sturdy shoes and clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
”This time around we expect to get wet!” they say.
If you have a canoe or kayak and would like to join one of the river teams, or if you prefer to be on the ground team, write Steven and Joe a note or email Joe at jdavid979@yahoo.com so they can add you to the roster.
Sunday’s project will focus on three sections of the 10-mile stretch of the river --- from Neshanic Station to Opie Road, Studdiford Drive to Old York Road and from Robert Street to Nevius Street.
Steven and Joseph were two Eagle Scouts who didn’t know each other until they married two sisters from Hillsborough, Dawn and Dineen Moeller who attended the Neshanic Methodist Church where you can see the river from the front steps.
The idea to undertake a fresh Eagle Scout project didn’t come to them until last summer when Joseph and Steven, took Steven’s son Evan and their nephew A.J. on a paddling ride on the South Branch of the Raritan River.
”We saw more tires than wildlife,” Joseph said.
The two were overwhelmed by the volunteer outpouring for the first cleanup.
“I am quite certain that this beautiful stretch of the Raritan River, is cleaner than it has ever been in my entire life,” Joseph stated after the July 27 cleanup. “and it is all thanks to the unbelievably amazing and incredibly dedicated volunteers who joined us today.”
The Raritan River may have been clean but not everything was.
”I am quite certain that after today’s work I was the dirtiest I have ever been in my entire life,” Joseph said.
For more information about the cleanup, Just 2 Eagle Scouts doing a South Branch / Raritan River Clean-Up Project, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/100tires.
