For the last three years, Current Problems and volunteers up and down the Suwannee River have done an amazing thing. They have removed thousands of pounds of unsightly trash and toxic garbage from one of our state`s natural treasures. We recognize the magnitude of these efforts and the positive impacts they are having on the river and surrounding bottomland habitat. And we know how much other rivers in the Suwannee River basin could benefit from the same efforts. We were nervous as we entertained the idea of taking on cleaning up the great Suwannee River - knowing that it was bigger than any cleanup project we had taken on before. But seeing the overwhelming success of the Great Suwannee River Cleanup year after year, we are emboldened to expand our vision! This year we are recruiting dedicated river cleaners to tackle not just the Suwannee, but also the Santa Fe, the Withlacoochee, the Alapaha and the Ichetucknee. These rivers suffer the same fate as the Suwannee when trash and harmful garbage accumulate on river bottoms and along riverbanks. By cleaning up the tributaries, we are helping to maintain not only the health and beauty of each river but also of the Suwannee River down to the estuaries and the Gulf of Mexico! The 2013 cleanup will occur during a three-month window from September through November along the Suwannee River and its tributaries. Businesses, civic clubs, fishing and boating groups, churches, government agencies, non-profits, chambers of commerce, and groups of friends are all encouraged to participate. Go to the spread sheet at http://tinyurl.com/o7mct4u to determine your section based on mileposts. Then register your group, the date of your cleanup, and your river section online at http://tinyurl.com/k9p675o . Shortly after registration, your cleanup will appear on the event map. View the map at http://goo.gl/maps/qYlo . Current Problems is available to assist you as you plan your cleanup and to provide supplies (grabbers, buckets, trash bags, etc.). If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Current Problems` Executive Director Fritzi Olson at 352-264-6827 or e-mail her at aar@currentproblems.org. Pete Butt is coordinating dive cleanups and can be reached through Fritzi Olson. If you can`t participate but would still like to support this effort, the partnership is looking for sponsors to help out with expenses and will also gladly accept in-kind donations. Call or e-mail Fritzi to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. |
