On Saturday, May 16 th from 8-Noon is a significant date for all of us Highlanders- It is the annual Spring Clean Up Day for the Town of Highland as we have all referred to it for years its Dump Day! What that means is you get to bring up to one pickup truck of junk you want to dispose of up to the parking area of the Highland Highway facility at 719 State Route 55 (behind the Senior Center) all for free. The staff of the Highway Department will be there to assist you getting your junk into the dumpsters. There are a few rules you will need to follow, the first is you need to go to the Town Clerk’s office and sign up with your address and get a passcard that is turned in when you bring your truckload to the Highway Department. There are some items they will not take such as tires, brush or yard waste, household garbage, paint cans, oil products, pesticides, or any other hazardous waste. Also, all drums and tanks must be completely empty and cut open and crushed-and no propane tanks, fuel tanks or oil drums will be accepted. Any propane tanks twenty gallons or less will need to be deposited at the designated Hazardous Waste Landfill location (call for the schedule- Kassie Thelman Coordinator (845) 807- 0291 recycling@sullivanny.gov)) which is located in Monticello. The next public Hazardous Waste Collection Day is scheduled in Monticello on Sunday, June 14th from 8-2pm.

During Dump Day any old or broken appliances or technology equipment must be brought to the Highland Transfer Station and disposed of for free during the Station’s regular business hours. This includes any refrigeration units, old computers, monitors, scrap metal, old televisions, microwaves, and other electronics. Clean Up Day is a terrific opportunity to tidy up your property and storage shed and get rid of a lot of old stuff that may be causing a nuisance for you and your neighbors.

Dump Day got me thinking about other local places to donate things we may no longer use or want to keep very usable items out of landfills. In the Town of Highland there are two sites that have clothing donations bins-three in the Eldred School parking lot and one at the Transfer Station. For kids toys and baby gear and equipment instead of putting it out by the road where it gets trashed, you can call New Hope Treatment Center in Barryville (845)-557-8353.

It is one of the only treatment centers in New York State that allows mothers to bring their small children with them. There is a terrific community garden in Tusten- The Tusten Heritage Community Garden (845-252-3722 or on Facebook) which has been operating for over thirteen years and is located behind the Library in Narrowsburg. They have raised beds you can use for a nominal fee and hold gardening meetings open to everyone where expert gardeners answer questions and explain their tips for a better yield and share about local inexpensive resources. They are always in need of donations of gardening tools, equipment and fencing.

At the Barryville Farmers Market in a small garage space the Barryville United Methodist Church has a seasonal thrift shop which is not to be missed when you visit the Farmers Market. The Shop has housewares, small appliances, holiday decorations, clothing, bed linens and always a not-to-be believed vintage “find” in the mix. All proceeds from the Shop go to organizations and individuals in need living in our community, and the three women who volunteer there make the community donation decisions. They post a list by the door of what donations were made, and I think last year there were about eight or nine different local charities that got significant funding. For any book or DVD donations to the Sunshine Hall free Library (845)-557-6258, bring the donations to the library during their regular business hours when they are open so the staff can go through them. Unwanted books can also go to the Transfer Station in the paper recycling bin and no you no longer have to remove the covers.

If you want more information or need to sign up for a Dump Day pass, contact Melissa Denlinger, our fabulous Deputy Town Clerk, during the regular business hours or call 845-557-6085.