On Friday, September 26, 2003, the U.S. Department of the Interior and USA Freedom Corps recognized the Massachusetts Community Water Watch program, a project of MASSPIRG and the Massachusetts Service Alliance, for its outstanding public service to protect and preserve public lands with their prestigious Take Pride In America National Award. The Water Watch program, which aims to improve water quality in Massachusetts, was the only organization in New England to receive the Take Pride award this year.
“This is a true milestone for our program,” said Bruce Speight, Water Watch Program Director. “The service we’ve done over the last year has had an enormous impact on the quality of our water and the overall health of our environment. When students and community members learn about the pollution in their local rivers, it fosters community awareness and activism. We need communities to get involved to make a difference.”
“These winners epitomize good citizenship and volunteer stewardship,” said Norton at a ceremony with the award winners at the Department of the Interior headquarters in the nation’s capital. “Just as good neighbors in the past few weeks have helped others to protect and restore their homes from Hurricane Isabel, these volunteers have helped to protect, defend and restore our nation’s natural and cultural treasures. They give all of us an example of what it means to be good stewards of our lands and our history.”
The Take Pride In America program, founded in 1984, awards 15 of the nation’s hardest working public service organizations and individual activists for their efforts to improve our national parks, wildlife refuges, public lands, cultural and historic sites, playgrounds and other recreation areas. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Director of USA Freedom Corps John Bridgeland presided over the award ceremony in Washington D.C.
Water Watch will continue to host numerous cleanup and education programs this year across Massachusetts, including the Neponset River Cleanup, organized by the UMB Water Watch chapter, that will take place Saturday, October 25. For more information, or to get involved, e-mail [email protected], or stop by the MASSPIRG and Water Watch Office (W/04/156).