A massive environmental cleanup along Patchogue’s Tuthills Creek has rejuvenated a critical local waterway while highlighting the importance of land preservation and community involvement.
Suffolk Legislator Dominick Thorne organized more than 60 volunteers from the Creek Defenders and Save the Great South Bay for the weekend effort, which removed tons of debris from the creek and its surroundings. “We pulled out about 30 cubic yards of waste and garbage,” Thorne noted. “We filled an entire 30-yard dumpster—shopping carts, tires, wooden pallets, you name it. I even rented a truck from Home Depot at my own expense to haul it all out.”
Volunteer leader James Bertsch praised the turnout and teamwork. “The Tuthills Creek cleanup was a success,” he said. “We had an incredible turnout—65 volunteers, including 24 Patchogue-Medford High School Interact Club students and several from Connetquot High School. Together, we tackled three major cleanup sites, removing over 30 shopping carts, tents, tires, wooden pallets, and other debris.”
Bertsch credited several local partners for making the day possible, including Gateway Plaza Property Owners, Home Depot, and The Law Office of Feuer & Feurer. “And of course,” he added, “our Creek Defenders—Jennifer George, Brad Shaw, Brian Pendergast, Rae Paoletta, Mike Lovell, Tom Kain, and Joe Tetonic—who showed up to protect our bay.”
For Thorne, the effort went beyond cleanup. “We’re working hard to preserve open space along the Tuthills Creek corridor,” he said. “Keeping this waterway clear is vital to the health of the larger watershed, which feeds into West Lake and eventually the Great South Bay. You can see the water flowing better now that the obstructions are gone.”
Thorne said more preservation projects are planned along the creek and nearby parcels north of Sunrise Highway. “Protecting our creeks protects our bay,” he said. “This is what stewardship looks like.”