200 tackle cleanup projects in Holley for ‘Day of Impact’

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Jeremy Arnold and his daughter Philomena, 13, pull a long invasive vine from the bushes near a rest area along the Erie Canal in Holley.

They were among 200 volunteers for today’s “Day of Impact” led by Holley Rotary Interact and EarlyAct Clubs at the school.

There are usually about 100 volunteers for the big day in Holley of picking up trash and doing special projects. There was an even bigger response with today’s efforts dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall, who passed away from melanoma on February 17, 2026 at age 46.

Leah Fredendall thanks the big crowd that turned out for the “Day of Caring” in honor of her late husband. Mrs. Fredendall works as an aide in the elementary school. Her husband grew up in Holley, graduated in 1997 and insisted on raising their family in the community. After serving as a combat veteran in the US Marines during the Iraq War, he worked for Stockham Lumber driving the lumber truck and making deliveries, a job he thoroughly enjoyed, his wife said.

Mr. Fredendall was an enthusiastic participant in previous “Day of Caring” events, relishing oddball items he would find as part of the litter cleanup. He once found a piece of a hot tub in the canal.

“Eric was always a hands-on, hard worker,” his wife said. “He took great pride in Holley.”

They have two children – Cole, 16; and Lauren, 14.

The people wore orange shirts today that noted it was the 2026 Day of Impact and it was dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall.

“It means so much to all of us,” Mrs. Fredendall said about honoring her husband with today’s community service projects.

Mr. Fredendall was at last year’s event, despite being sick with cancer. He didn’t want to miss the chance to help out.

“He looked forward to it because you could accomplish something and get something done,” she said.

Holley students paint red along the curb in front of the elementary school. These students include Miori Fisher, an eighth-grader at right, and Zoey Warner, a sophomore.

Zoey said she looks forward to the “Day of Impact” every year.

“It’s a way to bring our community together,” she said.

Samantha Zelent, the Interact Club advisors, thanked the students and other volunteers for joining on the community service projects. She said the community is very supportive of the Interact Club efforts throughout the year.

The group gathered at the elementary school parking before dispersing to tackle different projects.

These Holley students washed about 200 afghan blankets that were donated when a house was cleaned out in Holley. The people who donated the afghans also gave detergent and 200 dollars in quarters to have they all cleaned at the laundromat.

The students – from left Bailey Bibbins, Nora Lindsay, Kaeleigh Eiland, Olivia Kirkpatrick and Lillian O’Brien – also folded all of the blankets.

The afghans will be donated to the VA, nursing homes, and a few organizations that work with homeless people.

Matt Campbell cleans off the memorial bricks at the military tank by the VFW. Students and volunteers did landscaping and other cleanup work by the tank. Bricks also were placed there in memory of Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall. Morreall was very active at the VFW and American Legion. He also worked with the Interact Club last year to make the landscaping by the tank one of the projects for the “Day of Impact.”

Don Pera, a retired Holley teacher and Eric Fredendall’s uncle, holds a garbage bag while volunteers put trash in it from a field in the Holley Business Park.  Eli Prior, 11, and his sister Leah, 13, were among the litter hunters. They are in Fredendall’s family.

Volunteers picked up litter along every village street and the canal towpath within the Holley school district.

This group works on cleaning up the East Avenue canal welcome spot. It was overgrown on the stone pavers and also the bushes needed to be trimmed and some nasty weeds removed. Lew Anne Nettles, in front with the shovel, was among the community volunteers to helped with today’s projects. The welcome area was a new project on the list this year.

Pat Fredendall, Eric Fredendall’s mother, stopped by the canal welcome area to pass out bottles of water. She saw her granddaughter there, helping clean up the stone pavers. Lauren Fredenedall, 14, is Eric’s daughter.

Pat Fredendall said she appreciated the big turnout today from the volunteers.

“We live in a beautiful community,” she said.