Bright and early on Saturday, volunteers from five community organizations joined the Bernards Beautification Task Force and Bernards Township Committee members to clean up litter alongside the Interstate 287 ramps in what may be becoming a rite of spring.

"The effort yielded more than a quarter ton of trash," said Bernards Township Committeeman Scott Spitzer, who started Bernards Beautification Day back in 2010, when he was serving as township mayor.  who led the effort stated "Our Clean Up Day has become a rite of spring in Bernards Township. I am very proud of our volunteers who made this truly a broad community effort to help beautify and build pride in Bernards Township."

The volunteer groups included the Basking Ridge Garden Club, the Rotary Club of Bernardsville, Fellowship Village staff, staff from Lyons Veterans Administration facility, and staff and volunteers from Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, he said. The project was assisted by the Bernards Township Community Service Department and Bernards Township police department.

Local residents were invited to grab some work gloves and join in with the Bernards Township Beautification Task Force and other volunteers to help clean up the gateway into the township.

The project to clean up ramps at Interstate 287, a major entrance into Bernards Township and Bernardsville, was first held in October 2010, and also last spring.