Volunteers needed for 8th Annual cleanup of rivers and creeks within the Mississippi and Missouri rivers watershed
St. Louis, Mo., March 8, 2016… Great Rivers Greenway, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, and Missouri American Water are proud to sponsor the 8th annual Confluence Trash Bash, being held on Saturday, March 19, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Area residents are invited to join cleanup efforts, helping to improve the condition of our waterways. To date, volunteers have removed more than 5,400 tires and about 100 tons of trash from area streams and rivers.
Volunteers can choose from the following locations for check-in between 8-8:45 a.m.:
- Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 10950 Riverview Drive, St. Louis, MO
- Missouri River Relief, 10950 Riverview Drive, St. Louis, MO (will travel by boat to cleanup site)
- Big Muddy Adventures, 10950 Riverview Drive, St. Louis, MO (will travel by canoe to cleanup)
- Creve Coeur Park, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road, St Louis, MO 63146
- Creve Coeur Park using boats on Mallard Lake, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road, St Louis, MO 63146
- Florissant Sunset Park, 2300 Sunset Park Drive, Florissant, MO 63031
- City of Bridgeton, 13217 Ferguson Ln., Bridgeton, MO 63044
- City of Hanley Hills, 7713 Utica Drive, St. Louis, MO 63133
- Overland (Call 314-427-2401 or 314-662-2401 for location and registration information)
Specific cleanup sites will then be assigned near each of the starting locations. At noon, participants will return to their selected lunch location for a celebration and free lunch. Prizes will be awarded to volunteers who find the weirdest, biggest, and most expensive trash that morning. KSHE radio will be on site at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge location to provide entertainment and report on all the unusual items found during the cleanup. The “Seldom Fed Five” band will provide entertainment at Creve Coeur Park following the cleanup.
“It’s amazing to see how much trash and debris our dedicated volunteers can pull out of our rivers and creeks in just a few hours,” says Roland Biehl, with the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District. “The energy and enthusiasm is contagious as we work together to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. It feels good to make a difference in the community and it keeps people coming back year after year.”
All are welcome, and no experience is required. Individual volunteers, civic groups and youth organizations are encouraged to attend. Volunteers should dress for the weather and bring a water bottle and gloves. Trash bags will be provided. Transportation is available for school and other groups by contacting Colleen Scott with the Missouri Department of Conservation via email at Colleen.Scott@mdc.mo.gov.
Partners on this event include St. Louis Audubon, Greenway Network, St. Louis Brightside, St. Louis County, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Stream Team, Missouri River Relief, St. Louis Forward and Big Muddy Adventures. Participating municipalities include the Maryland Heights Parks Department; the Village of Hanley Hills; and the cities of St. Louis, Creve Coeur, Florissant, Bridgeton, Overland and Bellefontaine Neighbors.
For more information, email greenwaynetwork@gmail.com . To register online, visit https://www.greenwaynetwork.org/projects-issues/confluence-trash-bash.php
About Great Rivers Greenway:
Great Rivers Greenway is a regional greenway district created by a vote of the people in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. The organization improves the quality of life for all in the St. Louis region by connecting people to their rivers, parks and communities through a network of greenways. Greenways help residents and visitors explore and enjoy the region and live life outside. With 110 miles of greenways built so far, Great Rivers Greenway looks forward to connecting the entire region together in a 600-mile system. For more information, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org.
For more information, contact:
Pamela Powell
The Hauser Group
314.436.9090
OR
Emma Klues
Great Rivers Greenway
314.932.4919