Nearly 25 children were scattered across the North Country Club Field on Tuesday armed with trash bags, gloves and grabbers to celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up the park where they spend so much time.

The cleanup was organized by 9-year-old Sophia Pena, her mom Traci, and family friend Monyn Facente. Sophia, a third-grader at John Brown Francis Elementary School, learned about Earth Day in school and saw commercials about it on TV.

“I watch TV and they said make a change in your community,” said Sophia. “It can make the world a better place.”

She and her friends live in the neighborhood and play on the playground or throughout the field all the time, so they felt it was the ideal location to clean. Facente had the same idea.

“I was talking with Traci and said ‘I’m thinking of doing a cleanup.’ She said Sophia had the same idea,” said Facente.

So Facente and Traci gathered supplies such as bags, gloves, trash grabbers and more. They even received donations from Dunkin’ Donuts, Shaw’s and Stop & Shop (all in the Lakewood area) of munchkins and gift cards to purchase water, juice, fruit and other snacks. The neighborhood kids, along with many of their parents, turned out and spent close to three hours collecting wrappers, bottles, plastic and other trash, and clearing as many leaves as they could. Facente also placed signs around the park, which explained how the kids cleaned the park.

“We are hoping since the kids are doing it, people will keep it clean,” said Facente.

Participant emails were collected so the cleanup can be organized next year.