Bristol Health Participates In Earth Day

By Justin Muszynski, The Bristol Press

April 26, 2022

Bristol Health employees celebrated Earth Day by picking up trash at heavily-littered locations in the city.

A small group of volunteers, made up of the Bristol Health Diversity Committee members, spent Friday morning cleaning up the bus stop and surrounding parking lots across from the Bristol Hospital Brewster Road campus and the afternoon hours in the parking lot of the Funk and Eagle Building at 222 Main St.

“This area has a large homeless population,” said Christine Laprise, vice president of operations at Bristol Health, standing along the railroad tracks that run through Main Street.

Laprise didn’t think the area looked that bad when she initially showed up. But when she made her way to the wood line behind the parking lot it was a different story.

“As we got closer I was shocked,” she said.

“I think what’s really sad is I’ve picked up diapers, stuffed animals, lots of bottles of alcohol, unfortunately needles,” Laprise said, adding that hospital officials used a sharps container and were careful not to pick up anything with their hands that could expose them to a used needle.

The Earth Day cleanup was initiated and conducted by the Bristol Health Diversity Committee. During a discussion about what more could be done for the community, committee members agreed on a trash pickup after the topic of Earth Day was brought up.

“Next year we’re hoping to open it up to all Bristol Health members, Laprise said, as this year was strictly those on the Diversity Committee.

“I’d like to partner with the city,” Laprise said. “I’m assuming we’ll have a much larger group.”

Andrea Adams, patient representative at Bristol Health, said Earth Day probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the Diversity Committee and its responsibilities. But making the community a better place is an extension of its duties, she said.

“This is a way we give back to the community,” Adams said.

“This is one of the simple things we can do,” Adams continued.

Justin Muszynski can be reached at 860-973-1809 or jmuszynski@bristolpress.com.