Mayor’s Column

Change of season typically leads to yard work. The changing leaves lead to beautiful scenery. However, the falling of these leaves soon follows.

Unlike many municipalities, Voorhees does not pay to dispose of its leaves. Our leaves are composted at JDM Tri-Boro in Gibbsboro and eventually used for earth stabilization work in Voorhees and the surrounding area.

Voorhees Public Works Department offers two options for leaf collection. The first option allows leaves to be put in trash cans or biodegradable bags to be placed curbside on Sundays after 4 p.m. and by 6 a.m. on Mondays for pick-up Township wide. Leaves should not be mixed with regular trash as the leaves will be recycled separately.

The second option allows loose leaves to be left at curbside, but only during the designated dates listed below. Residents can find the scheduled pick-up dates on the Township’s website www.voorheesnj.com and on Channel 19 for Comcast subscribers and Channel 38 for Verizon subscribers. Also, signs will be posted at the entrance of each development prior to your scheduled week. Leaves should be raked to the curb line in front of your home the weekend prior to the scheduled week for your neighborhood’s pick-up. Leaf piles should be free of branches and twigs since such items clog the vacuum chute. Residents should also continue to place their grass in cans or biodegradable bags. Do not use plastic bags as they will not be accepted at our recycling facility.

Please refrain from putting tree trimmings or branches at curbside during leaf season. The chipper service will not be available. Please do not put leaves, grass or vegetative waste in blue trash carts.

Leaf collection for the second option scheduled for the week of Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 and the week of Nov. 19 to Nov. 23 includes Acorn Hill, Ashland Terrace, Brian’s Run, Carriagebrook Farm, Country Lane, Golfview, Franklin Square, Greenridge, Kirkwood, Lost Tree, Mews, Old Ashland, Osage, Ridgeview Ct., Rygate, Stafford’s Wo1d, Staffordshire Estates, Staffordshire Farms, Sunnyfield, Three Pond, Traditions, Turbridge, White Horse Road and Woodcrest Acres.

Neighborhoods scheduled for pick-up from Nov. 5 to Nov.9 and Nov. 26 to Nov. 30 include Alluvium Woods, Avian, Birch Hill Estates, Cherry Brook Farms, Christopher Tract, Colony, Hearth Stone, High Point, Huntington Ridge, Kress Acres, Kresson Rd., Lake Villa Dr., Las Brisas, Partridge Run, Rainwood,  Sturbridge Estates, Sturbridge Heights, Sturbridge Lakes, Sturbridge Woods, Terra Verde, Wilderness Lakes, Willow Oaks, Winfield Estate, Woodglen, the right side of Gibbsboro/Kresson Rd from Kresson Rd. to Cooper and Cooper to Centennial, the right side of Cooper from Rt. 73 to Kresson/Gibbsboro Rd. and the right side of Kresson/Gibbsboro to Kresson Rd.

Neighborhoods scheduled for pick-up from Nov. 12 to Nov. 16 and Dec. 3 to Dec. 7 include Alluvium, Alluvium Lakes, Beagle Club, Braddock’s Woods, Centennial Mill, Chateau Woods, Devonshire, Dutchtown Road, Elm Tree, Fairway Estates, Jillian’s Way, Lafayette Ave, Lafayette Hills, Lake Villa, Lippincott Ave, Old Egg Harbor Rd., Reserves, Royal Ct., Woodbrook, the right side of Gibbs/Kresson Rd. from Rt. 561to Cooper and the right side of Cooper to Rt. 73.

As we have in the past, we will return to all areas of the Township for additional leaf collection as weather allows.

**The Animal Welfare Association (AWA) is hosting “Howl-o-ween Trunk or Treat” on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the AWA located at 509 Centennial Blvd. This free event is for kids and their (leashed well-behaved) dogs. There will be candy for kids and treats for dogs, including allergen free candy. “Howl-o-ween Trunk or Treat” will also include a costume contest for kids and dogs. Please RSVP if you plan on attending at www.awanj.org. For more information, visit SophiaB@awanj.org

** Voorhees Township’s Annual Halloween Festival will be held on Sun., Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Again this year the event will be held at The Voorhees Town Center. Take an old-fashioned hayride or pick a pumpkin from the Voorhees Business Association’s Pumpkin Patch. Candy and refreshments will be plentiful. Activities will include a Halloween Costume Parade, pumpkin painting and decorating, balloon artists, a Halloween themed magic show and face painting. The Voorhees Township Police Department will be providing Halloween safety tips and conducting a Kids’ I.D. card registration. For more information, visit www.voorheesnj.com or call 856-882-SHOW.

**Learn watercolor painting with artist Ann May Kelly at the Voorhees Arts Center & Gallery located in the Voorhees Town Center. Classes are 11a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday through Nov. 9. The cost is $15 per class plus materials. For more information contact Marianne Leone at www.sustainablevoorhees.org or call 609-315-6218.