New Jersey Friends of Clearwater

New Jersey Friends of Clearwater (NJFC) is a grass roots organization, fully non-profit, volunteer-run and staffed. Since 1974, this organization has been actively educating children and adults on the importance of clean, clear water and to urge citizens to be responsible custodians of our domain: the estuaries of the Raritan, Passaic, Hudson, Delaware, and other NJ Rivers, the Jersey Shore coastline, its inland waterways, and the land of New Jersey.

Over 40 years ago, Pete Seeger realized a dream by getting the 106' Sloop Clearwater launched and spreading the word for a cleaner environment by word, music and action. A seed from that endeavor took root in the form of Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater when popular folksinger Bob Killian brought the idea to Monmouth County in 1974. NJFC will always continue its close affiliation with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., as a Clearwater Sloop Club. Our new name, New Jersey Friends of Clearwater, reflects our goals, growth and outreach in this new Millennium.

Our credo: It is the aim of New Jersey Friends of Clearwater that each member in their own way touch the people immediately surrounding them and in their community, and by word or deed convey the importance of conservation and reparation of the earth.

Donate to the NJ Friends of Clearwater

Help support the good works and initiative of NJFC. You can donate in a number of ways:
1. Click the PayPal "Donate" Button and pay by using your Paypal account or any of the listed credit cards.

Please identify the your targeted purpose for the donation, e,g., "Festival Application Fee", "Family Membership" or "Festival Donation" in the notation box on PayPal website.

2. Use our Mailing address: Urgent Festival Appeal, c/o NJ Friends of Clearwater, P.O. Box 303, Red Bank, New Jersey, 07701

Please donate any amount

We are a 501(C)3 Charity. All donations are tax-exempt.

Latest News

19 May 2013 by Ed Dlugosz

Joint NJ Clearwater-City of Long Branch Press Release

CLEARWATER FESTIVAL MOVES TO LONG BRANCH
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For Immediate Release

New Jersey Friends of Clearwater (NJFC) and The City of Long Branch today, May 10, 2013, announced that the state's oldest and largest celebration of the environment--the NJFC Clearwater Festival--is coming to the oceanfront Great Lawn in Long Branch on Sunday, September 15 2013. An annual tradition since 1975, the free Clearwater Festival is known for its mix of live music and song, arts and environmental education and advocacy in a family-friendly summer party.

"We are pleased to welcome the Clearwater Festival to Long Branch," said Mayor Adam Schneider. "Our Great Lawn, right on the boardwalk north of Pier Village, is the perfect spot for NJFC's message of respect for natural resources."

"We are excited about having our 38th Festival in Long Branch," said Ed Dlugosz, President of NJFC. "The Festival has never been this close to the ocean a we hope beachgoers and "boardwalkers" will join environmentalists and music lovers from all over the tri-state region in celebrating the wonders of earth's resources and to learn how to be better custodians of this gift."

Established after a visit to Monmouth County from the legendary folksinger and activist Pete Seeger in the early 1970s and named after his Sloop Clearwater, NJFC is dedicated to promoting awareness of our natural resources and their protection. Its environmental education and advocacy programs extend throughout the year and bringing a traveling eco-classroom to local schools and our sponsorship of Sea Scout "Ship" which uses our sailboat. The Festival originated at Sandy Hook and was later held in Asbury Park before this year's move to Long Branch.

The Clearwater Festival offers fare music from rock and soul to jazz and gospel by national and local music performers, a Children's Area with songs and storytelling, and environmental exhibits ranging from energy-saving and recycling tips to watershed protection and clean air advocacy.

Sponsors, food/craft/green vendors, performers, activists, and volunteers for the Clearwater Festival are asked to visit: www.mcclearwater.org/festival.php.

Contacts:
Clearwater: Ed Dlugosz, info@njclearwater.org; call 732-859-5752.
Long Branch: Beth Cook, ecook@ci.long-branch.nj.us; call 732-923-2044/43

Joint Clearwater-Long Branch Press Release Photo Op

Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider (second from left) seals the partnership with a handshake with Ed Dlugosz, President of NJ Friends of Clearwater, and join NJFC Members Lynn Humphrey (left) with granddaughter Sonrisa Scott, and Joellen Lundy (right) on a tour of the oceanfront Great Lawn.

Birds' Eye Panorama of New Festival Site @ Great Lawn

Panorama of Clearwater Festival Site with Tentative Placement of Stages.

Adding to the traditional huge audience draw of the 37 previous music & environmental Clearwater Festivals, the Long Branch venue offers the opportunity of the late summer beach-goers and the "boardwalkers, or more precisely, promenaders*" to make the 38th Festival the best in years.

(*Promenade is the name given to the Boardwalk in this portion of the Long Branch beachfront that no longer has boards)

Please look to the NJFC Official Festival Webpage at:
http://www.njclearwater.org/festival.php for calls for volunteers and forthcoming announcements of musical and children's performers, guest speakers, and additional Festival events like our Environmental Justice Roundtable. We are dedicating the Festival to the victims and lessons-learned of SuperStorm Sandy.

For late breaking news, also visit our NJFC Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/NJFriendsofClearwater