MAY 2, 2006, FARMINGVILLE, NY.- Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian X. Foley and Councilwoman Connie Kepert announced at a press conference Tuesday the launch of the town’s Make it Sparkle, Make It Shine program, designed to enlist residents in an alliance with the town in the battle to clean up litter in the township.

“We are calling on the residents of Brookhaven to join forces with their government to help in this battle against litter,” said Supervisor Foley. “ I pledge to you that my administration will lead the way in this fight against litter. Cleaning up our neighborhoods has a snowball effect that improves quality of life in multiple ways. Pride in our communities is at the heart of creating a better Brookhaven.”

“Litter is one of the greatest threats to our quality of life here in Brookhaven,” said Councilwoman Kepert.
“The town will do everything possible to address this plague on our town but we can’t do it alone.”

Make it Sparkle, Make it Shine is a town program started by Councilwoman Kepert as a civic activist. The program is geared towards cleaning neighborhoods of litter, making them sparkle, and making the local parks shine.

"This is a quality of life issue that we can all do something about,” said County Legislator Kate Browning, who attended the press conference. “It's important that each of us do what we can to keep our roads, neighborhoods and parks clean. We can all do our part to keep our community looking beautiful. I'm happy to see Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian Foley and Councilwoman Connie Kepert kick off the 'Make it Sparkle, Make it Shine' campaign here in Gordon Heights, and I look forward to seeing it take off throughout the township."

The press conference was held at Central Park/Children’s Park off Granny Road in Gordon Heights at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2. This is the first in what will be an ongoing program targeting areas of the own to combat where litter is worst.

The program aims to bring together local civic groups and town departments to work together to make Brookhaven a more beautiful place to live. During the week of May 1, 2006 the Town Highway Department along with Parks and Waste Management departments and the Streetlighting department of the Aviation Department, will work together with Gordon Heights civic groups to make their communities Sparkle and Shine.

Members of the local community along with Supervisor Foley, Councilwoman Kepert, Legislator Browning and officials from the Highway, Parks, and Waste Management departments at the press conference to answer any questions.