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Health & Fitness

Natick HS Earth Club: Making a Big Difference

Hi Friends,
Just wanted to off a few more details on the Natick HS Earth Club.  Here's a draft of a note of gratitude I wrote for Natick Town Manager, Martha White.  

Since 2009 The Natick HS Earth Club has collaborated with Big Heart Little Feet initiatives throughout the community and beyond.  Spring 2009: under the direction of faculty advisor, Susan Haverstick, the Club accompanied us to the upper Charles River and helped clean-up areas in the Millis – Norfolk region near Populatic Pond.  They also teamed with us on the first of several Dug Pond efforts, (shoreline and the notorious “Mud Lot” and Campus Drive), and the hard and tedious work of sweeping broken glass from the summit of Coolidge Hill (Natick’s only little “bald top.”) 

In the past three year years, under the direction of faculty advisor, Doug Milch, the NHS Earth Club has distinguished itself with formidable student leaders (former President, Samantha Primm, and current President, Raghu Bhardwaj, and Vice President, Linda Nguyen, among several others).  

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One could not overestimate the contributions of Raghu and Linda who have participated in over two dozen efforts since their freshman year.  Along with other members of the club, they have led an additional eight Clean-ups of Dug Pond and “Blueberry Island,” four more Big Sweeps of the Coolidge Hill Summit,  three times raked leaves and picked up trash for the Natick Housing Authority at West Hill Park and Cedar Gardens, twice helped build the “BHLF Recycle Buddy Bins” (which you see all over town), twice worked for a full day with Town Trails Committees on Natick Trails Day (Lilja Trails –2012, and Natick Town Forest – 2013 clearing debris from trails, cutting back invasives, setting water bars, etc.), and they have been key players promoting and reviving the Natick Earth Day Festival over the past two years.  In fact they were interviewed last spring on the Natick Pegasus Show, “Conversations” with host Joe Weiss to spread the word about Natick Earth Day.  Moreover the NHS Earth Club has established itself as the authentic “Steward of Dug Pond.”  Last fall (with my donation from Natick Education’s Shining Light Award), they purchased two canoes, paddles, life vests, etc. for this purpose. 

The Club has done other projects: selling earth-friendly and reusable mugs and water bottles, coordinating children activities at Natick Earth Day and few activities of which I am unaware.  Suffice it to say: they define Natick as the Home of Champions by healing the earth and giving back to the community. --Pat

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