Retreat Employees Organize Neighborhood Clean-Up

On Jan. 4, a clean-up effort sponsored by employees of SCI Retreat brought more than 45 volunteers out to several areas of Alden Mountain in Newport Township. The employees partnered with the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, New Roots Recovery Support Center and the Nanticoke Conservation Club for these efforts. Nearly 90 illegally dumped tires were picked up from several unnamed tributaries to the South Branch of Newport Creek, as well as other areas along the roadside. An entire porch with lead-based paint was removed from the North Branch Land Trust entrance road to the Alden Mountain Conservation Property, a hot tub, front ends of several cars, a box spring and a coiled mattress, a kids' plastic playset table, a toilet and an estimated 60 bags of trash were collected. Retreat Employees Association and Pennsylvania State Correctional Officers Association donated funds to provide water, coffee and donuts for all of the volunteers, as well as a hot lunch of pizza and wings following the clean-up. This was a great way for SCI Retreat staff to thank the local community for all of their support.