Major turnout on downtown cleanup

Hillsdale Cleanup Fall 2024.
Hillsdale Cleanup Fall 2024.
Hillsdale residents, including students and elected officials, show the borough some love on Nov. 2. Via Fred Rubel.

HILLSDALE—More than 40 enthusiastic high school students, residents, and local officials joined forces to clean up Hillsdale’s downtown area on Saturday, Nov. 2, removing nearly a dump truck’s worth of scattered street trash. 

The effort was aimed at enhancing the appeal of Hillsdale’s lively downtown and making it an even more pleasant place for residents and visitors alike.

The cleanup was organized by the Pascack Valley High School Honor Society, led by its advisor, Valerie Santo, in collaboration with Hillsdale’s Environmental Commission (HEC).

Hillsdale’s Department of Public Works supported the effort, providing logistical assistance and supplies. 

Volunteers were equipped with litter “grabbers,” gloves, and bags for trash and recycling, helping them tackle debris efficiently and safely.

Fred Rubel, chair of the HEC, expressed delight with the turnout. “We were very happy so many residents came together to work on this,” Rubel told Pascack Press on Nov. 4. “The large turnout exceeded our expectations and demonstrates our community’s dedication to keeping Hillsdale beautiful.”

The Hillsdale Environmental Commission actively advocates for the preservation and betterment of the environment for all Hillsdale residents.