Community Corner

Photos: The Scarecrows Are Coming!

Residents and community organizations have begun setting up for the annual Scarecrow Stroll.

Cranford residents couldn't escape Irene or the damage she caused in late August. So what are they doing to try and put the mess behind them? Poking fun at her, of course!

Residents and community groups spent Thursday afternoon attaching homemade scarecrows to lamposts throughout downtown Cranford. Leaning against a post on the corner of Eastman Street and North Avenue is a scarecrow that serves as a reminder of all residents have gone through since the hurricane barreled through the township.

Wearing rubber gloves and boots and carrying a bottle of Clorox bleach, "Irene" was crafted by the Cicalese family, of supplies they used to clean their flood-damaged home following the storm. Her body is made of the black heavy-duty garbage bags that residents spent weeks stuffing with discarded possessions. Her hair is a mop, her nose is a sponge and she carries a bag labeled "hurricane helpers." Never let it be said that Cranford residents don't have a sense of humor and an uncanny ability to overcome tragedy.

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In the next couple of days, students will judge the scarecrows. Not just any students, though. Kindergarten students from Brookside Place School, whose families were displaced by flooding from Hurricane Irene will tour the township and cast their votes. Normally, preparations and registration for the annual Scarecrow Stroll begin in early September, but because of the storm's aftermath, preparations were pushed back. Things are under way now, though, and scarecrows are popping up on every corner.


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