Vernon pride on full display at pump track

A group of volunteers helped spread playground-grade mulch around the inside of the township’s future bicycle pump track on August 20, as the township received three days’ notice that the mulch would be delivered.

Mayor Howard Burrell said because of the opening of school in some regions during August, suppliers were not able to provide the township with a reliable delivery date for the material.

Burrell said 41 volunteers showed up at the site to help spread the mulch, most of which were Vernon residents. Seven came from out of town.

“While I was pleased at this volunteer effort, I was not all surprised,” Burrell said. “These kinds of volunteer efforts seem to be a built-in part of the pride Vernon residents have for our towns.”

Jeff Hoffman, who has been a Vernon resident for five years, said the pump track will bring people to Vernon and there are now people from all over the country that know about the township because of the pump track project.

“I traveled to other towns, and other states to do this type of stuff, and you should see the money that is brought into these towns,” Hoffman said. “It’s absurd.”

Vernon Town Council Vice President Natalie Buccieri said she appreciated the volunteers that spend their time at the pump track on what was a very hot day.

“While I’ve made public that I wasn’t a supporter of the pump track, I am a supporter of our town and time that our community members put in and I do really appreciate that. There was a group that came out and I do appreciate the spirit of community that Vernon has.”