1st Suwannee River Clean Up yields 20 yards of trash

By Donna Creamer
On Saturday, June 27, 2009, Pure Water Wilderness (Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy Tourist Development Board) held their “1st Annual Suwannee River Clean Up” event and removed nearly 20-yards of trash.
Items removed were 55-gallon drums, tires, chairs, tables, steel, diapers, bottles, cans and so much more. Several of the participates commented on looking back along the banks where they had just removed trash and seeing first hand the different they had made. What a team effort with nearly 110 volunteers helping some in canoes and boats as well the land-lubber crew helping with set-up, entertainment, cooking, serving lunch and removing trash from the boats.

Carlos Rodriguez steps out of a kayak to collect trash on the bank. Photo by Bill Kilborn.

The clean up began around 8:30 a.m. at various locations along the Suwannee River (Hart Springs, Otter Springs and Suwannee Gables Motel) with everyone gathering at Hinton Landing in Dixie County for lunch, live entertainment and door prizes.
Seventeen members of the Suwannee River Cruisers boat club, as well as several others in their boats, worked side-by-side with forty-five volunteers in canoes serving as their guide and transporting the trash to the drop off point. All participants received a Pure Water Wilderness T-shirt highlighting the event and everyone enjoyed a delicious BBQ lunch.
Pure Water Wilderness provided volunteers in canoes with a kooler-bag along with a first-aid kit and hand-wipes. Fanning and Manatee Springs State Park invited the volunteers to visit one of the parks after the clean up as a way to say thanks.
Pure Water Wilderness looks forward to their 2nd Annual Suwannee River Clean Up Event sometime in spring 2010.
For more information on this event, or any of Pure Water Wilderness’ upcoming projects visit www.PureWaterWilderness.com or call (352) 463-3467