Ronald Reagan Sailors Dig In for the Environment

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Every April 22, Navy and civilian organizations around the world gather as part of Earth Day to acknowledge the importance of protecting the environment. A group of Precommissioning Unit (PCU) Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Sailors also did their part, braving Virginia’s record-breaking heat to clean up a piece of their local landscape.

On April 18, more than 80 Ronald Reagan Sailors joined forces with staff members from Supervisor of Ship Building (SUPSHIP) to pick up trash at Newport News Park and Huntington Park including the beach area.

“We wanted to help the community in support of Earth Day,” said Cmdr. David Falk, PCU Ronald Reagan’s Safety Officer. “We contacted SUPSHIP, and they invited us to work together in support of a local clean-up project. This was a great opportunity to protect the environment and support our community."

“It feels good to do something like this,” said Airman Mica Hilsabeck, of the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department. “We like to let people know we care about them and the environment.”

While at Huntington Park, some of the Sailors noticed the playground was also in need of some attention.

“As we were picking up trash, we noticed there were a lot of holes in the playground surface,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Lori March. “So we smoothed out the holes so the children could play safely.”

People using the park also noticed and appreciated the work going on around them.

“The mothers of the children playing on the playground couldn’t stop thanking us for our work,” March said.

SUPSHIP staff members were so grateful for the Ronald Reagan Sailor’s help that they provided them with refreshments and aloe plants. The refreshments kept the Sailor's hydrated and safe in the sun, while the aloe plants served as an earth-friendly memento of the Sailors support to the environment.

For more news about USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), see the Reagan NewsStand page at http://www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.