On Thursday, September 15th, Team NJ brought their “Today I Can Do Anything” spirit to a partnership with the New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg and the Warren County Parks Foundation. The groups worked side-by-side to clear a portion of the Morris Canal Greenway, in order to make the trail walkable for public use.
The Morris Canal was opened in the 1800s, initially stretching a total of 102 miles across New Jersey. While most of the waterway was eventually drained and abandoned, Warren County started an initiative in the 1980s to preserve and protect what remained and to increase awareness of its historical significance. Over 10 miles of the canal have been preserved since – through the help of local groups and volunteers – and we were honored that Access could do our part with the NJYC!
The New Jersey Youth Corps works with young adults who did not complete high school and helps them earn their High School Equivalency while helping the community. Thus, an added benefit of our path clearing event was that it allowed us to speak with the youth corps group and explain to them what it is like to work within the community, and to teach them about some of the different business opportunities in the area.
By the time the path was cleared, Team New Jersey had learned a bit about the unique and innovative canal, and a lot about the hard work and determination of the local youth group. Congrats to all!
Participating Access Team Members:
Front row, left to right, Casey Sheridan, Justine Serrano, Catherine Mayer, Diana Crites.
Second row, left to right, Aaron Segreaves, Dale Gyorfi, Jon Ader, John Hemingway and Angel Ramirez.