HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) -- The Village of Horseheads took part in the statewide initiative "I Love My Parks" on Sunday by gathering volunteers to help beautify local parks. Not only does it make a big difference, but it also brings the community together.

For the first time, volunteers of all ages rolled up their sleeves for the clean-up day to help get local parks and public spaces ready for the warmer months ahead.

"I didn't grow up here, but this is my hometown," said Liz O'Dell Wehling, the event coordinator. "I feel so connected to Horseheads, and I'm so grateful for the outdoor spaces that we have, and there's little things that we can do to make a big difference. Today is that day. We come together, we're making a huge difference. With a lot of hands, we make light work, and when you have a connection to your community, you feel more involved."

Volunteers spread out over five different sites in the village to help with a variety of tasks.


At Linear Park, people picked up litter and leaves along the walking path. Memorial Park on Grand Central Avenue had volunteers cleaning the monument. Those who went to Maple Grove Cemetery helped pick up leaves and debris. General clean-up and placing mulch were among the tasks for those working at Teal Park. Lastly, volunteers at Sullivan Park on Thorne Street planted flowers, painted pavilions, built benches, and cleaned up trash and branches.

Along with residents, several organizations and businesses joined the cause, including On a Roll, Horseheads Kiwanis, Horseheads Rotary Club, Sunshine Rotary Club, National Honor Society students from Horseheads High School, and members of the Horseheads Family Resource Center.

"You've got to keep them looking nice," said Jeff Tobey, a volunteer and the president-elect of the Horseheads Rotary Club. "People will not come out here if you've got trash and limbs on the ground. So we feel that it's important to keep the community clean, looking nice."

Volunteers and organizers say the effort helps prepare the local parks for spring and summer activities. Village Mayor Kevin Adams says the parks will be used for family movie nights, concert series, sports events, and more. However, he also says it's a great way to show community spirit and come together with one another.

"This is the village at its finest," said Mayor Adams. "You have about three, four paid staff here today just to help make sure everything goes. Then you have over 60 volunteers, right, so over 20 volunteers for every one paid person. That's how this village runs and functions. It's a small rec[reation] department, it's a small parks department, it's a small DPW department. It's just what it is. It's a small village, but you can't say it's a small village when you see this amazing support from the community."

From park to park, a total of 76 people came together to give Horseheads' outdoor spaces a fresh new look. Organizers say the strong turnout shows how a little teamwork can go a long way at each location.

O'Dell Wehling adds that, while this is just the first year of the event, they hope to make it annual because, once it becomes habit, it becomes a part of the community.

If you'd like to get involved with ongoing clean-up efforts, you can check out the Village's Parks and Recreation website.