13th Annual James River Regional Cleanup

On Saturday, June 9, 957 volunteers, including 82 boaters, braved the heat and humidity to help clean up the James River.  This year’s cleanup had 13 sites in 10 different localities throughout the James River Watershed including new sites at Bryan Park in Richmond, Sandusky Park in Lynchburg and a float from Hatton Ferry to Scottsville.  Volunteers collected 348 bags of trash, 191 bags of recycling and 82 tires!  While the amount of trash collected this year is down from years past, the enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers is greater than ever!  In lieu of picking up trash, many volunteers worked on special projects including trail maintenance, painting over graffiti and removing invasive species.

JRA sponsors the cleanup site at Reedy Creek.  From this location, volunteers disperse throughout the James River Park system.  In addition to the usual cleanup locations at Belle Isle and the rocks at 22^nd Street, special effort was put into locations people don’t usually think of cleaning up including Gillies Creek Park and under the Boulevard Bridge.  The 170 volunteers at Reedy Creek picked up 70 bags of recycling and 50 bags of trash including a chain link fence and 4 tires!  Many of the Reedy Creek volunteers come back year after year.  It’s encouraging and rewarding to see your dedication to this event.  Thank you for all your hard work!

JRA would also like to thank the James River Park System Staff.  We couldn’t make this site work without your help and support.  We would also like to give special thanks to Ralph White for his many years of supporting not only the Regional Cleanup, but for all of his work and dedication to the James River.  Ralph, we know you are retiring, but we hope to see you at the cleanup next year!

For more information on upcoming cleanups or for information on how you can hold your own cleanup through JRA’s self-directed trash cleanup program, contact Amber Ellis at aellis@jrava.org.