By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — Amid precipitation curves thrown by Mother Nature, the Georgetown CommUNITY Cleanup and family celebration carried on as planned Saturday, bringing together members of the town in a common goal.

The historic Georgetown Fire Station and section of Depot Street served as the hub for the day-long event. It began with morning town-wide bulk and trash/litter cleanups followed by a family celebration, featuring food from local restaurants and vendors, live music and a play area for children.

“We endured,” said Judson Malone, project coordinator for the event facilitated by Georgetown DE CommUNITY. “We just huddled under the tents between showers. The food vendors, they kept serving food and the radio kept going. The rain didn’t stop us.”

The theme was unity, encompassing Georgetown’s diverse Black, White, Latino and Asian community to collaborate on a grass-roots effort for the benefit of everyone.

“We’re out here today to support the community and help clean up Georgetown,” said Cathie Aschiero, Financial Center Manager for Fulton Bank Georgetown. “It is a great community here. We are very happy to be participating in this process. We have four people here today and they are all from the Georgetown branch location.”

“It is partnering with other agencies and organizations that are instrumental in serving the community of Georgetown,” said Alina Ferrer, board president of La Esperanza, whose mission is to assist Sussex County Latinos in their journey toward stability, integration and success. “La Esperanza works closely with other organizations within the town of Georgetown. And it is nice to come together in fellowship and to do a good service for the community. It’s coming together for a common good and working together.”

South American native Maria Briceno offered a different twist.

“I am from Venezuela, and I have a story,” said Ms. Briceno, a Fulton Bank mortgage loan officer. “This is my first time doing this kind of community service. I watched these on the movies, in my country. I was, ‘Oh my God, they do community service ...’”

Elected officials joined residents and organizations in the community effort. Georgetown Town Manager Eugene Dvornick, Georgetown councilwoman Christina Diaz-Malone, State Rep. Ruth Briggs and State Sen. Brian Pettyjohn were among those on hand.

In early afternoon, Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall Long arrived, greeting event participants.

Back for another round of COVID-19 vaccinations was Beebe Healthcare, via the mobile unit through partnership with Sussex County and the Sussex Library Department’s bookmobile.

All things considered, Mr. Malone hailed the event, assembled within the last couple months, as a “success to a large degree.”

“I had really good people to work with,” Mr. Malone said.

“It was a good day — a real good day,” said Georgetown Mayor Bill West. “I was just grateful that we’ve got a citizen of the town that is willing to put stuff like this together.”

By late morning, as skies steadily began to turn cloudy and gray, the volunteer sign-up list coordinated by First State Community Action Agency had topped 100 and was approaching 150, FSCAA Executive Director Bernice Edwards said.

For Kate Owens, Landon Lewis, Zoe Owens, age 5, and 11-month Audrey Lewis-Owens, strapped in a stroller, it was a family affair.

“We’ve been looking for a way to give back to our community and get more involved,” said Mr. Owens. “I think it is important for kids to get involved and see adults and their parents involved in the community. It instills a sense of responsibility.”

“It builds pride. And this is an easy way to do it,” said Mr. Lewis. “We live right here. The trash, even in our yard, is insane. I don’t know if it’s because of the intersection there. Picking up trash is not something that’s difficult, but it’s an easy way to give back. I think it’s important to instill that the young ones at a young age so that they understand what it is to give back, and they feel that pride, too.”

“We really are proud to be from this area,” Ms. Owens said. “This is a quaint little town, and everyone is very nice, and are there for each other. So, we want to give back.”

At the FSCAA booth, cleanup day participants were offered family food bags, toiletries, other giveaways and information on the services and assistance that First State provides. Also offered were box-cases of Krispy Kreme Bites. Eleven pallets — well over 1,000 cases — of the treats were on hand. Some are earmarked for another FSCAA program.

“We have 150 kids enrolled in our summer camps for this year,” said Sandi Hagans-Morris, FSCAA Program Director. “We’re going to provide them with snacks as well.”

Barbara Carter, Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator for Sussex County Habitat for Humanity, says the event played right into the heart of Habitat’s mission.

“With Habitat, we are here to build homes, community and hope. We actually have some communities throughout Georgetown. We’re planning on developing Kimmeytown. So right by this fire station here we’re trying to beautify and clean up the area,” Ms. Carter said. “We have always been involved in cleanups and stuff. We wanted to be part of the joint effort to clean up Georgetown as a whole, and actually create a sense of bond between each member in the community … and with the business partners and groups like us.”

Local event sponsors included Arnett Muldrow, Axiom Engineering, Beebe Healthcare, Boys and Girls Club, Community Bank, County Bank, FHG Ventures, First State Community Action Agency, Fulton Bank, Georgetown Millsboro Rotary Club, Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Historic Georgetown, Association, Keep DE Beautiful, La Esperanza, La Plaza, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Maxima 95.3 Radio, National Guard 198th Signal Battalion ESB, PNC Bank, Rep. Ruth Briggs King, Richard B. Allen Coalition, Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, ServPro of Sussex County, Shepherd’s Office, Starbucks, Superior Electrical Services, Sussex Christian Academy, Sussex County Habitat for Humanity and the Town of Georgetown.

Mr. Malone said the community unity coalition will explore other community-oriented events. One suggestion, offered by Rep. Briggs King, is a National Night Out, a community-police, awareness-raising event in the United States traditionally held on the first Tuesday in August.