This weekend marks the 18th Annual NewtonServes Day which is a great way to get citizens into the community. However Newton has been blessed with many ongoing functions that are only possible due to a citywide sense of volunteerism. I would count members of the city council and area councils, remunerated or not it takes a lot of uncompensated effort. Include the poll workers who spent upwards of 16 hours for a full day of election effort. Village Days, Festivals and Craft Fairs contribute to the vibrancy of the City. Even the road races that pop up when we are trying to cross from one part of the city to another. Plus various community groups devoted to an array of causes.
Just this weekend, Newton Community Pride has the Festival of the Arts and NewtonServes, Newton Recycling will host its bi-annual Swap Day at Rumford, Newton Tree Conservancy will be planting a few dozen trees around the city, with most of the effort coming from volunteers. You will find me at all of these sometime this weekend.
I am a serial volunteer and have enjoyed many events from both sides over the years I have lived in Newton but I am seeing fewer and fewer new faces which is concern. I worked with a large group of folks forming many city connections and friendships but as we have all aged, some of us have dropped off without new blood to take our places. I don’t know if this is due to the diminishing rolodex of the individual organizers not finding interested newcomers, or perhaps the age of the internet when we don’t know how to talk with the next generation, or if the expectations of residents have changed where we no longer offer sweat equity in lieu of paid services (and entertainment).
Why am I concerned? I think this a metric of general civic engagement. This seemingly diminishing group is the same pool that will fill open seats on boards and commissions, spur candidates to enter our uncontested races and may even entice their neighbors to show up on municipal election days.
Like Groot, I’m a serial volunteer.
I think there[‘s problem with over -concentration of volunteer activities, particularly this weekend. I will be participating in the Friends of Hemlock Gorge Cleanup on Saturday morning as part of the Charles River Cleanup. On Sunday, I expect to participate in the cleanup of the South Burying Ground where my Revolutionary War ancestor Samuel Richardson is buried. But by doing this, I’ll be missing out on the nearby Upper Falls Greenway cleanup and the Quiunobequin Road cleanup in Waban, not to mention the Cold Spring Park project sponsored by the Newton Conservators. There’s also a Mayoral candidate forum sponsored by the Citizens for a Better Newtonville at the Newton Highlands Women’s Club. and the walking tours of Hemlock Gorge and Echo Bridge at 10 AM,. and 11:30 conducted by Green Newton Vice-President Jim Purdy for the Newton Conservators and the Echo Bridge Railings Committee. I’m sure many residents of Ward 5 will feel similarly conflicted and that there are comparable situations across the city.
Could the major service groups get together after they rest up from this busy weekend and try to space out their activities for the rest of the spring and summer and next year. Can Newton Serves focus on the Charles River on the first weekend and do other projects in the interior of the city later in the season. There’s plenty of work to be done.
At least the Newton Conservators have planned out a schedule of invasive pulls. I look forward to the Hemlcok Gorge/Quinobequin Road pull on June 17
Brian Yates
City Councilor
President, Friends of Hemlock Gorge
Member, Echo Bridge Railings Committee
Advisory Board, Newton Conservators
Member, Green Newton