The Milford Democratic Town Committee hosted a cleanup April 9 at Wilcox Park. Photo by Carmina Hirsch.
Members of Milford’s Democratic Town Committee spent the morning of April 9 volunteering at Wilcox Park in the city’s downtown. More than a dozen volunteers collected broken bottles, discarded masks, cigarette butts and other pieces of trash to help beautify one of Milford’s most-used parks.
The volunteer day served as an informal kick-off for the Milford Democratic Town Committee, which just began its 2022-2024 term with new members and leadership.
“Given the divisive nature of the current political climate, it’s important for us to take a step back and remember the real reason that we’re all involved in government: to make our community a better place,” said Justin Rosen, the new chairman of the MDTC.
“This sort of community engagement will be an ongoing commitment for the Milford Democrats,” said Rosen. “Politics shouldn’t just be about fighting partisan battles or seeing your face on a billboard: it’s about serving the people of Milford and improving this city we love. The Milford Democrats are eager to partner with any individual, group, or organization who wishes to join us. We can always work together to make a difference locally. And today, Wilcox Park is a little bit cleaner, safer, and more welcoming than it was yesterday.”
With Earth Day fast approaching, the decision to spend the new MDTC’s first volunteer day helping the planet was a natural one, he said.
“It’s so important that we take action at the local level,” said Kelly Miller, a member of the Milford Tree Commission and the MDTC. “It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the massive scale of environmental challenges like climate change, plastics pollution and mass extinctions. We have an obligation locally to do our part to keep public green open spaces beautiful and clean for everyone. I enjoy coming to Wilcox Park to hike, bird watch and just enjoy nature. It is also a good place for people of all ages to enjoy trees and the forest right here in our city. In addition, green open spaces are incredibly important for mental health, and having a clean and beautiful park within walking distance for so many people makes a significant impact on our community’s well-being.”
Other volunteers included Mayor Ben Blake, state Sen. James Maroney, state Rep. Frank Smith, alderman Ward Willis and Planning and Zoning Board member Etan Hirsch.