Annual FBR River Clean Up on August 29, 2009 a Success

More than thirty area volunteers joined forces early Saturday morning to clean the Black River from Hatfield to Melrose, almost 50 river miles or 100 miles of shoreline. This sixth annual summer river clean up was organized by Friends of the Black River. Undeterred by cool temperatures and occasional showers, participants met at their assigned clean up areas at 8 AM to collect trash on foot or by boat.

A typical clean up team consisted of four to six paddlers, most in kayaks, with a canoe or towed kayak designated as “garbage scow” to receive large items or full trash bags.  Amongst the collected items were ten tires, plastic and aluminum deck chairs, a microwave, a huge chunk of styrofoam, carpeting, fishing gear, old lumber, a boat landing sign, several pairs of shoes and countless aluminum and plastic beverage containers.

Ameri-Corps Vista volunteers Brody Bayus and Sarah Sexton took time out from their projects with area teenagers to help out with the clean up. “It was fun but, my arms are sure tired!” commented Brody at the take out. Sarah and Brody did a great job retrieving hard to reach trash. Twelve year old Dylan Chown helped his dad extract a purple 55 gallon drum from a pile of down trees, then tether it to the back of his mom’s kayak. “Now maybe we can keep up with her”, he and his dad agreed!

Returning volunteers convened at the Water Street city park to enjoy a Subway sandwich lunch and beverages and to deposit their trash in Jeff Polzin’s large horse trailer for transport to recycling or dumpsters. Friends of the Black River is grateful to Subway for their support and to North American Hydro for donating.

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