Hard work, Real Fun: Source to Sea Cleanup
Celebrates 20 Years of Cleaner Rivers
Greenfield, MA – The Connecticut River Watershed Council’s (CRC) 20th annual Source to Sea Cleanup, taking place this Friday & Saturday, September 23 & 24, will feature a number of fun activities for participants in addition to the trash cleanup. Source to Sea Cleanup volunteers remove tons of trash along rivers, streams, parks, boat launches, trails and more in all four states of the Connecticut River basin (NH, VT, MA, CT). You are invited to join the fun and be part of the tremendous effort for cleaner rivers. For more information, visit ctriver.org/cleanup. To find a cleanup group near you, click on ‘Join a Group.’
“Thousands of volunteers from across four states come out on a single weekend to help clean up our rivers. They literally remove tons of trash every year. To date, volunteers have kept more than 947 tons of trash from polluting our rivers,” says Alicea Charamut, CRC River Steward and Cleanup organizer. “Their hard work and dedication is inspiring and makes a real difference for our rivers. We want to do everything we can to make this effort fun, too.”
During the Cleanup, participants are encouraged to keep their cameras handy and snap lots of photos to submit in the Source to Sea Cleanup photo contest. Photos must be submitted by Monday, October 3, through CRC’s website: ctriver.org/cleanup. Then public vote until noon on October 11 will determine the People’s Choice winners. A panel of judges will select Judge’s Choice winners as well. Many great prizes have been donated in support of the Cleanup from Ibex, Cabella’s, Confluence Outdoors, and more.
After the Cleanup, CRC invites Source to Sea Cleanup participants to join two post-Cleanup parties for refreshments and giveaways. Beer provided by Cleanup sponsor Leinenkugel’s Brewing Co. CRC will be recognizing local cleanup groups and awarding fun prizes. Join CRC in Connecticut on Saturday 9/24, 11:30-2pm at Lucky Lou’s Bar & Grill, 222 Main St., Wethersfield, CT. Join CRC in Massachusetts on Saturday, 9/24, 12-3pm at the Green River Swimming Area, Nash’s Mill Rd., Greenfield, MA.
“The Source to Sea Cleanup strengthens community and gives people an opportunity to improve their neighborhoods,” says CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk. “When people help clean their rivers, they make connections with each other and with their rivers. Those connections have benefits lasting well beyond the Cleanup. That’s what it’s all about. And if you can have a bit of fun while you’re at it, then even better.”
CRC thanks the Source to Sea Cleanup lead sponsors— NRG Energy’s Middletown Generating Station, Pratt & Whitney, TransCanada, and Whistler—for their generous financial support.
The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. As stewards of this heritage, we celebrate our four-state treasure and collaborate, educate, organize, restore and intervene to preserve its health for generations to come. Our work informs our vision of economic and ecological abundance. To learn more about CRC, or to join the effort and help protect our rivers, visit ctriver.org.
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