Volunteering for the James

We love our RiverRat volunteers! They act as the James River’s first line of citizen defense by assisting our Riverkeepers as the eyes and ears of the river and its tributaries. RiverRats come from all over the watershed, are all ages and have many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be a scientist or skilled paddler to become a RiverRat.

Meet our June Volunteer of the Month, Beth Butner. She is a retired Chesterfield County middle school educator. While she has lived in Chesterfield for over 40 years, she was born and raised in Isle of Wight County near Smithfield. She still co-owns her family farm with her sister, and she and her husband also are lucky enough to own a weekend home on the James in the Day’s Point area outside of Smithfield. 

Isle of Wight was one of the original English land shires in Virginia and Beth’s ancestors were some of its first settlers. She has a strong appreciation for history and loves to sit on her dock reading up on Virginia’s history and imaging ships passing by on the James.

Beth and her husband have been James River Association members for over 25 years because of their deep connection with the river. Their home provides them a front row seat to Virginia’s history and beauty and they consider themselves cheerleaders for cities and counties that emphasize and celebrate our flowing treasure.

Beth also shares her love for the James with her son. They are both Lower James RiverRats who patrol between the Pagan River and Burwell’s Bay. Beth feels it is “the least we can do…to be good stewards of a small but valuable part of this natural treasure.”

Recently, she was walking in the Morgart’s Beach area near their home and she found a dead, untagged sturgeon in the grass. She was in awe of the prehistoric specimen and saddened that it had met its demise. Unable to determine the cause of death, she assumed it had washed ashore and vultures had moved it to a grassy area. Beth called the James River Association to report this unfortunate discovery.

Protecting and preserving the river is incredibly important to Beth. She couldn’t be more proud to call the James River watershed her home. “I feel the James River is the lifeblood of Virginia as it flows through her with such vibrancy and provides so many opportunities for her inhabitants to live, work, enjoy and prosper,” said Beth. “I am proud to be a Virginian who can enjoy and be blessed by the mighty James!”

Are you interested in volunteering for the James? If so, contact Ben Hawkins, Volunteer Coordinator, at bhawkins@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811, ext. 204.

Volunteering for the James

James River Association volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. They live all over the watershed, have many different skills and can be any age.

Meet our May Volunteer of the Month, Linus. He’s 12 years old student at Tuckahoe Middle School who lives in Lakeside, VA. Linus loves the James River and goes kayaking almost every week in the summer, so he understands the importance of keeping the river beautiful and clean. At school, he is involved with Service as Action, so of course he chose to volunteer for the James River!

When it comes to volunteering with the James River Association, Linus has done his fair share. He has picked up trash at numerous locations along the river, including along Upham Brook and Horsepen Branch, and at Ancarrow’s Landing and Texas Beach. All sorts of items were discovered during his cleanups, including toddler Nike Air Jordans!

His most memorable volunteer experience came when he chose to mark stormdrains with educational markers that remind citizens to put “only rain down the drain.” Linus had to pick up the stormdrain markers from the Department of Public Utilities, which meant navigating through Richmond’s City Hall. He affixed the markers to stormdrains in Carytown and even got his little brother Zane to help him.

When asked why he would encourage others to volunteer, Linus said “it’s really fun and you’re doing something good for your river. My uncle says you should know your river, but I say respect your river.”

Are you interested in volunteering for the James? If so, contact Ben Hawkins, Volunteer Coordinator, at bhawkins@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811, ext. 204.

Volunteering for the James

 We love our RiverRat volunteers! They act as the James River’s first line of citizen defense by assisting our Riverkeepers as the eyes and ears of the river and its tributaries. RiverRats come from all over the watershed, are all ages and have many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be a scientist or skilled paddler to become a RiverRat.

Meet David Lauthers, a Logistics Planner at Newport News Shipbuilding. He’s a Lower James RiverRat that teaches the principles of Leave No Trace and is also active with the Virginia Master Naturalists and the Boy Scouts. He also serves on the Board of the Newport News Green Foundation. David has volunteered for the James River Association in a number of ways, here is what he had to say about a few of his experiences:

In 2015 I volunteered at Berkley Middle School teaching Watershed Education. We talked about what watersheds – what they are, how to identify what watershed you live in and how they work. We also had a touch tank with river eels that the students could touch and we played a time lapse video showing oysters filtering a tank of dirty water. I also briefly talked about Leave No Trace and outdoor ethics. This was by far one of my favorite volunteer experiences. Being able to share my knowledge of watersheds and giving children the chance to see and touch an American Eel was a memory I enjoy having and I look forward to doing it again. I encourage anyone with time and energy to share your experiences and knowledge at a school or educational event like Earth Day.

Recently, at the request of the James River Association’s Volunteer Coordinator, I was asked to attend an Environmental Justice Empowerment Luncheon in the Southeast Community of Newport News. I had never heard of the term “environmental justice,” which I learned is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

Although I have lived in Newport News for 20 years, I had never ventured to the Southeast area of the city, even though it is near where I work. I arrived early to the event and attended a briefing by Congressman Bobby Scott and Delegate Marcia Price. I was among the company of many other state and local organizations such as the Virginia Conservation Network, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Choose Clean Water Coalition, Southeast Asthma Network, Virginia Student Environmental Coalition, VA Sierra Club and the Southeast Care Coalition. Each group was given a chance to speak, reviewing their missions, roles and what potential assistance they could bring to the table to help the Southeast Community.  The elected officials told the group that they are working to ensure our communities have the opportunity to live in a clean and safe environment free from polluted water.

Overall this was a very unique learning experience for me. It showed me the problems within a community in my city and also showed me what organizations are coming together to help put an end to the issues. The chance to network with all these organizations was definitely valuable.

Want to become a RiverRat and help make a difference in your community? Attend one of our upcoming trainings listed below. Contact Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@jrava.org for more information.

March 19 – Newport News

July 23 – Buchanan/Covington

August 13 – Charlottesville

September 17 – Richmond 

Volunteering for the James

We are so thankful for our volunteers. People just like you give their precious time to help us create a cleaner, healthier watershed.

Meet Jose Espinoza a 24 year old IT professional originally from Stafford, VA. His love for the James led him to clean up trash in the Richmond region, as well as translating river information to Spanish to bring awareness to the Latino population.  Here’s what Jose had to say about his experience volunteering:

I moved to Richmond about 6 years ago to attend Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2013. Like many VCU students, I had my first encounter with the James River by hanging out at Belle Isle. Every time I went to the river, it gifted me and my friends with new experiences and great quality time. Belle Isle brings so many people together but people also take it for granted. 

 After seeing so many people at Belle Isle throw trash on the ground and sometimes in the river, I decided to do something about it. I initially reached out to James River Association to volunteer in their self-directed trash cleanup program and have picked up trash along the Pipeline Trail. The James River Association also tapped into my cultural background to help them bring river awareness to the growing Latino population in the Richmond area. I helped them in translating pamphlets and newsletter that will educate Spanish speakers about the conservation of natural resources, good habits for the river and even volunteering opportunities. I really enjoyed this aspect of my volunteering experience because it helped the organization reach a different audience they wouldn’t have reached without my help 

I would highly encourage Richmond residents to volunteer with the James River Association because it feels good to give back to the river that has given so much to you in one way or another.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Ben Hawkins, Volunteer Coordinator, at bhawkins@jrava.org. 

Volunteering for the James

We love our RiverRat volunteers! They act as the James River’s first line of citizen defense by assisting our Riverkeepers as the eyes and ears of the river and its tributaries. RiverRats come from all over the watershed, are all ages and have many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be a scientist or skilled paddler to become a RiverRat.

Meet Fred Kelly and Will Maddox, Lower James RiverRats. Fred is a retired mental health professional who currently lives in Dinwiddie County. His family has owned a cabin on the James River for five generations. This is where his father taught him to paddle and introduced him to the joys of being on the river. However, it was at that time a river in trouble. In those days the James was a dumping ground and it was not uncommon to find the shore lined with dead fish due to this pollution. There were fewer ducks, geese, osprey and virtually no eagles.

Thanks to the Clean Water Act and the efforts of local organizations like the James River Association, the river and its wildlife have bounced back. It is once again a place for recreation and creating memories. Fred shares his experiences on the James with his grandson Will. Fred says “Becoming a River Rat has greatly enhanced my enjoyment of being on the river by allowing me to become a protector of it as well. I only wish that I could have been doing this since I began paddling in the mid 1950s. I am especially pleased that my 15 year old grandson, Will, who took the River Rat training with me, will be in place to continue monitoring the river that he has grown to love long after I am no longer able to do so. I strongly encourage anyone who enjoys being on the river to get the training for becoming a River Rat. This is an opportunity that has been a long time coming. Don't miss it. Your river needs you.”

Here is what Fred had to say about his first RiverRat patrol with his grandson this past October:

Will and I have been paddling the James all of our lives and feel a need to preserve and protect this beautiful river. So when we heard about the River Rat program we were excited to get involved.

On October 23^rd, we went on our first official River Rat patrol with the mission of shore clean-up. Hurricane Joaquin had produced flooding which carried lots of plastic, glass and other debris onto the shoreline. Our goal was to begin dealing with this problem by cleaning the shore on Tar Bay, part of our designated patrol area. After gathering and bagging trash from about 100 yards of shoreline, we headed out in our boat to collect a very large piece of debris that a previous storm had deposited on a tree nearby. It had been an eye-sore for months and we had talked about removing it all summer. This was the day. How good it was to see that pink, plastic car in our boat rather than on that tree! 

Next, we decided to make a run around Coggins Point and up Powells Creek to check out its status after the hurricane. Powells Creek is beautiful any time of year with its mixture of hardwoods and marsh but this day was exceptional. We motored up about a mile or more into an area where few people venture and stopped to take pictures. The first thing Will spotted as he stepped out of the boat was a very lively crayfish. He had learned earlier this year while on a James River Expedition that crayfish are a good indicator of pollution-free water. So we are happy to report the good water conditions in that part of the creek. We also found no trash to clean up. How lucky we are to have such a pristine area to enjoy, and now, to help watch over.

Assisting the RiverKeepers on the James makes a recreational outing on the river very gratifying. It lets us give back to the river that has always given us so much pleasure.

Need another excuse to get out on the water? Want to make a difference while enjoying your time outdoors? Email Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@jrava.org to learn more about the RiverRats program or other volunteer opportunities. 

Volunteering for the James

James River Association volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. They live all over the watershed, have many different skills and can be any age.

Meet our October Volunteer of the Month, Kiersten Hines. She’s a 13 year old Richmonder who has a passion for learning new things, playing the saxophone, volunteering and of course spending time on the James. She likes to hike the trails along the river with her dogs and go swimming with her family. Kiersten took on a research project related to the Our River at Risk advocacy campaign. Here’s what she had to say about her experience:

My task was to research and inventory all of the Surface Water Discharges in the James River from 1988 to 2003 using data from the Environmental Protection Agency. I chose to volunteer because I think that the environment has provided us with so much – like food, shelter and peace – so it is only fair to give back. Saving the James is a cause I believe in, and I’m not surprised that so many other people do too.

I would encourage other people to volunteer because there is nothing more rewarding than putting time and effort into a cause you care deeply for. You could climb the highest mountain or swim the deepest sea and still not feel the happiness that you could experience working with your community to make this giant mass of dirt, water, minerals and organisms a more enjoyable place to live.

Everyone should give volunteering a chance!

Are you interested in volunteering for the James? There are all sorts of opportunities for you to get involved from planting trees, to research projects, to event volunteers and more. Sign up here to get involved today! 

Volunteering for the James

At the James River Association, we love our volunteers. People just like you give their precious time to help us create a cleaner, healthier watershed. Meet Ivy McCarron who works for Lynchburg’s YMCA. Ivy and her colleagues participated in our Self-Directed Trash Cleanup program. Here’s what she had to say about her experience:

When we were offered the chance to volunteer for community projects, I have to say that there is nothing anything else that we would rather be doing as the YMCA of Central Virginia Young Professionals Group.  As working professionals within the YMCA, we are naturally interested in wellness.  On our time off from being busy directors and coordinators, we really enjoy running and biking on the Black Water Creek Trail. 

The James River runs along the Black Water Creek Trail right through Lynchburg’s downtown near the location of our Downtown Branch.  When one of our members recommended doing a river cleanup, we jumped at the opportunity!  Our YMCA group had a total of 13 volunteers ranging from 22 to 35 years of age.  We spent about four hours cleaning the trail, resulting in five bags of trash gathered; including an old car tire. That day we also ran into a group of our YMCA Summer Camp kids who were on a nature walk.  We walked and sang camp songs with them along the way! 

Volunteering for our community is always fun and rewarding for us, but the James River cleanup was unique not only because it cleaned up somewhere we all enjoy on our time off, but we had yet another opportunity to share with the next generation the benefits of service to our community.

Are you interested in cleaning up the James? If so, register for the 16^th Annual James River Regional Cleanup on Saturday 9/12. There are 14 locations throughout the watershed, so where ever you live, you can jump in and help out!

September is for River Lovers

River Hero Homes receive a colorful garden flag 

September marks the beginnings of crisp mornings, kids going back to school and the fall planting season. At the James River Association it also means River Hero Home month. All month long, we will be sharing river-friendly tips, highlighting our partners and introducing you to River Hero Homes in our watershed.

Let’s start with the basics. What is a River Hero Home?  If you work to reduce runoff from your yard through a river-friendly practice like installing a rain barrel or planting native plants, you’re eligible to sign up for our River Hero Homes program. All you need to do is commit to a few simple, every day actions like picking up after your pet or smart lawn maintenance. Once you do that, fill out a form and send us a picture of your river-friendly practice and we’ll take care of the rest. River Hero Homes certification includes a membership card that gives you discounts at local home and garden shops, a colorful lawn flag and an invitation to our annual River Hero Home Lawn Party.

Rain barrels capture stormwater from your roof, 

which you can use to water your plants

Want to know more? Follow us on Facebook to learn about ways you can protect the James at home. Check our blog to see posts about homeowners like you who are turning their lawns into river-friendly havens for wildlife. Join us at the annual James River Regional Cleanup to show your dedication to a healthy James River - there are 14 locations throughout the watershed, so where ever you live, you can get involved.

And of course, we invite you to certify your home as a River Hero Home. 

Native plants filter stormwater runoff and provide habitat for wildlife

Volunteering for the James

Andrew Phillips is a 27 year old salesman and a resident of Richmond. He volunteered in July for the Richmond James River Splash & Dash to help out with this fun event and to interact with other people who also share a passion for the river. When he’s not volunteering, Andrew enjoys kayaking, fishing and trail running. When asked why he would encourage others to volunteer, Andrew says it is a great way to meet new people, swap river stories and do something to impact society in a positive way.

Here’s what Andrew had to say about his experience at the James River Splash & Dash:

Volunteering for the Richmond James River Splash & Dash started around 11:00 am for me. Unsure of where to go or who to help, I was quickly approached by another fellow volunteer who asked, “Can you help carry this water jug to the truck?” At that moment it was on. From unloading the stage for the band to helping set up advertisement signs, I felt like I had a significant impact on the preparation for the event. When asked to be the lead for the beer truck, my heart skipped a beat. I have always wondered what it was like to be on the “other side” of the table, and let me tell you, it was a treat! Explaining to fellow volunteers the procedure and system we had in place for the beer truck was empowering. As runners finished their race, my team was instrumental in rewarding them with a tasty libation to fill their gullet.

Volunteering is addicting.

Are you interested in volunteering? If so, visit our volunteer center to learn more!