Eastern students pitch in for Windham’s spring clean-up

Eastern Connecticut State University students volunteered nearly 320 hours of service at 10 Willimantic sites during the Town Pride, Town Wide community clean-up on April 22.

The 71 students organized by Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement raked, planted, weeded and painted at Lauter Park, CLICK, the Railroad Museum, Willimantic Whitewater Park, the Schilberg Butterfly Garden, the Windham Textile and History Museum, Pequot Trails, Windham Middle School, High Street and the Greenway Garden Project.

“My favorite part about Town Pride, Town Wide is seeing the effect it has on our community, whether it be through our maintaining of beautiful communal areas or in the friendship it builds among our volunteers,” said Olivia Gardner ’25, a CCE student leader. “It’s great to see the immediate impact the event has on everyone involved.”

Amilya Williams ’25, another CCE student leader, said she loves the turnout for the event. “It feels like I am a part of something bigger. It’s cool to think while I’m at my site helping the community, the same thing is happening at various other sites throughout Willi.”

Each student volunteered for more than four hours at the event, an annual collaboration between the CCE and the Town of Windham.