Regarding the Roebling cleanup

I am writing this letter in response to the criticism recently aired in your newspaper regarding this past Saturday’s community cleanup at the Roebling II factory property in Trenton. As your readers already know, this effort was primarily led and organized by Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and East Ward Councilman Joe Harrison, along with the City of Trenton.

While I respect L.A. Parker’s opinion, I am going to defend this cleanup effort and my family’s and my involvement in it. Just as my spouse, children and I volunteered for the Cook School cleanup last August, we heartily volunteered for this year’s Roebling II cleanup. As a life-long Trentonian, I see these cleanup efforts as a great way to help our city remove an eyesore and then, assist in resurrecting an old Trenton landmark so it can become a jewel in our collective future.

As a parent, I also see these cleanups organized by Mayor Gusciora, Councilman Harrison and the City of Trenton as a great way for my children to give back to the city of their birth and to see the positive results of volunteerism and service towards something bigger than themselves. Let alone the opportunity to work alongside others with differing backgrounds, but who are united in a common goal - making Trenton a little bit better than it was the day before.

On behalf of the Williams Family, I want to thank our city leadership and all of the wonderful volunteers we spent those hours with this past Saturday. We made Trenton better and got to see the potential that exist when we work together.

— Jennifer Williams, Trenton