17th Annual Earth Day Rockaway

By Jeanne DuPont,

RISE Executive Director

RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity) held its 17th Annual Earth Day Rockaway on Saturday, May 6. The event was hosted by the Shore Corps team (RISE high school interns), and it brought families and children from around the Rockaway peninsula together to celebrate the environment.

Some of the big attractions were the smoothie bike, mock turtle stranding with Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, face painting, Vinny Voltage Science Show, Gerb-o-Matic kinetic sculpture station, live music from the Keith Jordan Band, and PSEG Long Island’s tree giveaway! “Congratulations to RISE for the success of its Earth Day recognition event,” said David Lyons, PSEG Long Island’s interim president and chief operating officer. “We are proud to support RISE’s efforts to help our customers in the Rockaways to reduce their utility bills. Providing the energy-saving trees and information about how and where to plant them will help with ongoing electric system reliability and will also improve air quality and protect the environment.”

Also participating were Cornell Cooperative Extension, FDNY, Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center/WIC Program, NYC Office of Emergency Management, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, and Urban Park Rangers. RISE would like to thank the Bluestone Organization, PSEG Long Island, and Vineyard Offshore for their sponsorship.