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Vol. LXIII, No. 44
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
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Vol. LXIII, No. 44
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
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POLLY BURLINGHAM
Scott Lane
Chairperson
Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission
DEBBIE BRONFELD
Dodds Lane
Executive Director
Dress for Success Mercer County
To the Editor:
The Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission would like to address the recent article discussing the challenge of autumn leaves, and notes that leaves are as much an opportunity as a challenge. For some homeowners leaves are a gift because they can be used for composting. Leaves can be shredded with a lawn mower and spread in beds, etc. Or leaves can be piled, free form or in compost bins, to decompose over the winter and provide mulch and nutrients for plants in the spring. Leaf mulch will also help to control weeds. The Environmental Commission has an excellent brochure on leaf management that can be found online at www.princetonboro.org under Administrator News.
For examples of compost bins and methods, visit the Mercer Educational Gardens, which has excellent examples of home composting bins. The Mercer Educational Gardens, open dawn to dusk, use self-guided tours to teach backyard composting to residents of Mercer County. There are 20 different compost bins, each maintained by a Master Gardener Team. Some bins can be purchased, but many can be made at home with common materials. The Mercer Educational Gardens are located adjacent to the Mercer County Equestrian Center in Pennington at 431A Federal City Road.
If, however, your lot is graced with mature trees that produce quantities that exceed the capacity of your garden to absorb, please use the following guidelines when placing leaves out for collection:
• Leaves should not be mixed with branches;
• Leaves should be placed between the curb and sidewalk and not in the gutter, to prevent clogging and polluting storm drains;
• Consult your neighborhood schedule for pickup under Public Works.
Leaves that are collected by the Borough are not a waste because they are taken to the Joseph H. Maher Ecological Center that Princeton shares with Lawrence Township. At the site the leaves are composted and made available to the public at no charge and sold to commercial users to offset the cost of the facility. The Borough, however, does pay the cost of collection and transportation, so any effort by Borough residents to compost their leaves is a savings for all. The facility is located at 3701 Princeton Pike, just past the intersection of Provinceline Road. It is open April to December from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Residents can collect mulch and compost free of charge with proof of residency.
For more information about leaf collection and composting, feel free to call me at (609) 924-0408.
POLLY BURLINGHAM
Scott Lane
Chairperson
Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission
To the Editor:
On Sunday, October 25, Palmer Square Management and the Palmer Square merchants once again ran an amazing fashion show held at the Nassau Inn. From the volunteer models to the fabulous Princeton Magazine filled tote bag, it was a top-notch event. Dress for Success Mercer County was thrilled again to be part of this annual event. Palmer Square Management not only donated 100 percent of the ticket price to DFSMC but also allowed one of our clients the opportunity to be a model for the day and walk down the runway. The proceeds will support our two core services, including the management and administration of our boutique that provides free professional attire to low-income women seeking employment, and administration and supervision of our Professional Women’s Group that provides skill building and support to women transitioning from welfare to work.
We were founded by a group of local businesswomen with a vision to support low-income women entering the business world. Since opening our doors two years ago, more than 650 women in our community have received services at our boutique in Hamilton. We thoroughly appreciate Palmer Square supporting us in such a meaningful way. The opportunity to let the public know about our organization and the impact we’re having on women’s lives is wonderful.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of DFSMC, I want to thank the staff of Palmer Square Management, the models, and of course, the stores that participated on the runway: Aerosoles, Au Courant Opticians, Banana Republic, Bucks County Dry Goods, Bluemercury, Coach, Dandelion, Lace Silhouettes Lingerie, luluemon athletica, Luxaby Baby & Child, Nine West, Origins, Salon Pure, Stacy Gemma, Talbots / Talbots Petites, and The Walking Company. We also appreciate the many other Palmer Square tenants who donated raffle prizes and promotions to the gift bag. A special thank you goes to media sponsor Princeton Magazine and charitable sponsor PNC Bank.
For more information on DFSMC, please visit www.dressforsucess.org/mercercounty.
DEBBIE BRONFELD
Dodds Lane
Executive Director
Dress for Success Mercer County