Interfaith Team Cleaning Gypsy Pond on October 2

Ridgewood residents of all faiths will be rallying around one central tenant on Sunday, October 2 – clearing Ridgewood's of debris.

The annual interfaith effort–which features Temple Israel, The Ridgewood Muslim Society, , , , , AM Rotary, The Upper Ridgewood Community Church–will be clearing tires, plastic bottles, natural debris and all sorts of strange things from the pond between Goffle Avenue and Rock Road from 1 to 3 p.m.

"It's really a fantastic event," said Ridgewood Wildscape Association member Ellie Gruber, who helps organize the event along with members of the Ridgewood Environmental Action Committee (REAC). "What makes it so great is it's all the religious groups and community groups and it's a very heart-warming feeling trying to make the water and the town a little better."

According to Gruber, removing the junk is important for creatures living in the water and the humans around it.

"It's very important for the flow of the water and the invertebrates in the water," she said of the cleaning. "It also prevents flooding. All these things that are in the waterways – trees, tires, whatever – that means that the water doesn't flow freely and it goes onto the banks. It degrades the banks and then we have more flooding and tree falling."

The flood-prone Ho-Ho-Kus Brook often gets the cleaning treatment from the volunteers. In fact, one year the Brook was cleared from Glen Rock to Ho-Ho-Kus and volunteers found a full size track mat, Gruber said.

But for the second straight year, it's Gypsy Pond's turn.

Beyond accumulation from flood-related debris, the pond is often a spot for illegal dumping, items discharged from stormwater drains, plastic water and soda bottles, even bicycles and shopping carts.

It really needs the work, according to Gruber. "I can't even remember how much weird stuff we've pulled out of there," she said.

The village will be donating the equipment per a state law that requires municipalities to help in waterway clearing, organizers say.

The volunteers' waterway cleaning does not require permission from the Mosquito Commission, Gruber said of the authority that officials often complain hamstrings them in their efforts to clear waterways.

Work clothes, old shoes, long sleeves, boots and work gloves won't make for a great day of fashion, but it will help clear the muck from the pond, Gruber said.

Because of the street fair in Glen Rock on Saturday, those looking to help should take Ackerman to Doremus to the Glen Rock 'rock' on Rock Road. From there, make a right turn and head up to Lincoln, then a left onto the Rock Road extension until reaching the rail road tracks (where Hawthorne, Wyckoff, Midland Park, Glen Rock and Ridgewood all essentially merge). Signs will be posted.

To make things easier, volunteers will be carpooling from Temple Israel at 12:45 p.m.