Last month, a group of Iona College students participated in the IC Green initiative, which helps to make the environment a healthy place through community cleanups. The group had a successful first cleanup picking up trash along the streets of New Rochelle.

IC Green is a student organization committed to promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle to thrive in the Iona community.

IC Green’s co-secretary Christina Grafstein said that the initiative all began on Feb. 18 in the lobby of the Robert V. LaPenta Student Union.

“Five members of this organization met and Michelle Sampson provided us with garbage bags, gloves and maroon t-shirts for the volunteers.”

The first cleanup began on White Oak Street as volunteers continued the eco-friendly quest on Eastchester Road, Mount Joy Place, Chauncey Avenue and the corner of St. Paul’s Place and North Avenue. The volunteers celebrated with a well-deserved pizza at Black Board, provided by IC Green resident Kelly Kettenring.

“I participated because I have a passion for keeping my surroundings clean. I enjoy learning about the environment and I believe that keeping it clean is part of the process we all should be involved in,” said sophomore Christine Samwaroo.

Samwaroo said that all who participated in the event were happy to help and that cleaning streets didn’t seem to be a bother to students, noting that IC Green’s positive message is beginning to convey across campus.

 “It teaches us the importance of keeping our surroundings clean, to recycle and it is a good way for us to give back to our community,” said Samwaroo.

The most recent event began on March 2, when four volunteers met up to once again make a difference around the Iona community. This time, the volunteers encompassed the same streets as their last outing as well as Mayflower Avenue and Clove Street.

“This is a community we live in so we should take pride in cleaning it. It’s nice helping out the community and having them acknowledge Iona because we’re here to help,” said Kettenring.

“A woman with her child noticed us in our Iona t-shirts and asked what we were doing. She thanked us numerous times.”

Iona’s goal is having a campus that can come together and provide the community with new ideas that can be spread to incoming students and IC Green is getting that message across. The next cleanup date is set for April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day.

For anyone who is interested in joining IC Green or taking part in their next cleanup, contact Christina Grafstein at [email protected].