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Ben Harney found his ticket while cleaning up the area as part of his school-required community service participation. -
Darrell Scott thanks Myles and Maddox Holman for cleaning up trash around their dirt road. -
Michael and Belinda Piernas found their golden ticket cleaning up around their home. -
Kate Batcheller chose a maple syrup prize.
In April, as Mason residents were doing their annual roadside cleanup, some of them stumbled across a peculiar piece of trash.
Wrapped in a yellow “Golden Ticket,” the trash offered a prize – either a half-gallon of Mason-produced maple syrup, or a ride on the town fire truck.
Darrell Scott, a member of the Energy Commission and Trash Committee, said they spread the pieces throughout town, on roadsides that often get less attention, in an effort to increase participation and encourage clean-up participants to spread beyond their usual spots, or just their own roads.
“It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea, trying to encourage more people to participate,” said Scott. “And it works. One new person picked up 30 blue bags on Route 124, which hardly ever gets picked up.”
Those who found bottles were Myles Holman and his son Maddox, Belinda Piernas and her son Michael, Ben Harney and Kate Batcheller.
Harney said he found his ticket while cleaning up Campbell Hill Road. He has participated in the cleanup for the past two years, along with his uncle, who lives in the area. He counts the hours toward the annual 20 hours of community service he’s required to do as a student at Nashoba Valley Technical High School. He also plans to get some of those volunteer hours by participating in a trail day in Mason put on by the Conservation Commission.
Belinda Piernas and Michael cleaned between the area of Miriam Hill Road and Brookline Road. She said she and Michael have often cleaned the area just while walking or biking around, but this year decided to participate in the town cleanup. During the cleanup, the town picks up bags on the side of the road, allowing for a more-thorough clean.
“We find a lot of stuff – a tire, a diaper, alcohol bottles. It’s terrible,” said Belinda.
“It looks worse in the spring, because it’s had all winter to accumulate,” Scott said. “But you drive by now, the roads just got picked up, and a week later, there’s still more stuff there. It’s unfortunate. This effort was trying to reach people picking up. I don’t know how to reach people throwing it out – I don’t know how to stop that. We do our best to keep the road clean.”
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.