100-degree weather and oppressive humidity did not deter the LAN Young Professionals Group from their mission to clean up the Sussex Branch Trail on Wednesday June 30th. After a year of lockdowns and way too much time spent indoors, the LAN Associates internal resource group planned a trip to volunteer their time to a favorite cause of the company. The team partnered with frequent collaborator on good works, the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, to ensure when nature lovers venture out this summer, they can enjoy a clean and liter free hike at the popular trail located in Andover, New Jersey.
“I learned that many other young professionals at LAN, including myself, have developed a greater passion for the outdoors over the past year,” said Alex Borowick, a Marketing Coordinator and chairperson of the Young Professionals Group at LAN. “This was my third year participating, and it’s a day that I look forward to every year. The NJDEP and Sussex Trail Partnership do a great job of creating and operating outdoor spaces for us to use, and LAN is proud to be able to take a day to help maintain those spaces for others.”
Sussex County Chamber of Commerce organizes trail cleanups across the county through a committee called the Sussex County Trails Partnership. Typically, the Sussex County Trails Partnership declares a ‘Trails Cleanup Day’ where various volunteers come together to restore the trail to its intended use. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have struggled to find volunteers who are willing to help.
Since 2011, LAN Associates has dedicated time and resources to cleaning up trails in Sussex County, and in 2021 we are more grateful then ever for the opportunity to give back. LAN volunteers cleaned the Sussex Branch Trail, which originated in the late 1840’s as a narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad. In addition to cleaning up litter, LAN’s volunteers helped trim overgrown bushes, and discard large, dangerous rocks and sticks on the path. LAN looks forward to volunteering again for the Sussex County Trail Partnership cleanup day.
The Sussex County Trail Partnership is actively looking for more volunteers. For more information on how to get involved, click here.