Youngsters help make a difference

FREEHOLD - The Freehold Center Partnership's Adopt-a-Park beautification campaign has become a community service project as part of the Freehold YMCA Leaders Club.

Young members of the Leaders Club leadership training program range in age from 10 to 13 and have cleaned up eight of the parks and will continue to work on keeping the parks beautiful by having periodic cleanups. The sites range from small pocket parks to walkways and perimeter properties around town.

The pocket parks already adopted include the triangle at the corner of West Main and Throckmorton streets by El Meson; the corner of South and Throck-morton streets by GMR Landscaping; next to the Ameriprise building on West Main Street by the Four Seasons Nursery and the Lions Club; a walkway to the Market Yard off of South Street by the Noontime Optimists and Four Seasons Nursery.

Still up for adoption is a walkway to the Market Yard off South Street next to Copies Now; Gere Park across from St. Peter's Church on Throckmorton Street; and a walkway from the Market Yard into the rear entrance of the Cornerstone Caffe.

The YMCA's adviser for the Leaders Club, Donald "Bubba" Warren, said that as part of the program, the children participate in a week-long leadership training at East Stroudsburg University.

In addition to helping with the Freehold pocket parks, other projects they have become involved in are working at Six Flags Great Adventure on Disabilities Day, assisting the disabled; hosting a Valentine's Dinner for seniors; hosting a children's party at the community center; and hosting the Martin Luther King dinner.

According to a press release from the Freehold Center Partnership, most of the children said they joined the Leaders Club because they like helping out the community and because they want to become leaders. They said the most important skill they have learned is to help others, particularly the elderly.

Anyone interested in joining the Adopt-A-Park program may contact Jayne Carr at the Freehold Center Partnership, (732) 462-3584.