Local groups to clean litter from Red River

Volunteers pitch in as part of the National River Cleanup

On Saturday, October 16th at 8 a.m., a outstanding group of Shreveport-Bossier City residents have committed to cleaning up the Red River. The Bayou Chapter of the Ozark Society (BCOS) has partnered with the Ark-La-Tex Chapter of the Arkansas Canoe Club (ACC) and Shreveport Green to kick-off the 1st annual Red River Clean Up in Shreveport and Bossier City, Louisiana. These local groups have partnered with two national organizations that focus on America’s waterways and oceans. The Red River Clean Up is registered as a National River Clean up with American Rivers www.americanrivers.org.

The volunteer event is also registered with PADI’s Project Aware www.projectaware.org, who is focused on conserving underwater environments.

The list of interested parties is still growing; however, the Red River Clean Up is pleased to have the support and participation of the following organizations:

Army Corps of Engineers

Ashley’s Building and Construction

Bossier Parish Water Rescue

Boy Scout Troops

Ethnos Coffee and Tea

Caddo Parish Marine Patrol

Capt. Shreve High School

Gumbo to Geaux

Hick’s Electrics

Keep Bossier Beautiful

Kennedy’s Karate USA

Lowes Home Improvement

OIB Ouachita Independent Bank

Parkway High School

*Pratt Recycling

Red River Scuba

Red River Waterways Commission

Reeves Marine

Shreveport Parks and Recreation

Shreveport Rugby Club

Shreveport Sail & Power Squadron

“We are excited to see that the community is welcoming this opportunity to volunteer” said Nancy Larned, Event Organizer. “Various local groups who have already committed to the clean up are dedicated to protecting our Red River because a healthy community starts with a healthy river. We look forward to increasing the community awareness of this great but finite resource…our waterway.”

National River Clean up, sponsored by American Rivers, is a series of community-based stream cleanups happening nationwide. This annual event raises public awareness of the magnitude of trash accumulating in our nation’s waterways. Shreveport-Bossier City volunteers will be participating along with tens of thousands of volunteers taking part in hundreds of cleanups across the country to remove trash from local rivers and streams. Learn more about National River Cleanup at www.AmericanRivers.org/cleanup.

“Our Red River provides drinking water, flood protection, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and economic benefits to our community” said Adam Willard, member of BCOS and ACC. “It is a vital part of our heritage and is a source of community identity and pride.” said

“It’s thrilling to see so many people across the nation pitching in to protect their local river or favorite stream,” said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers, the organization that sponsors National River Cleanup. “We applaud the work of so many Shreveport-Bossier City groups, not just for speaking out for the Red River, but for taking action to keep it healthy.”

Additional volunteers are needed to share ideas and expertise in planning the event, pick-up trash during the event, provide a handful of volunteers from an organization or business, donate supplies or provide financial support. If you cannot attend the event, but want to contribute, please donate of work gloves, food, drinks or door prizes for the volunteers. For information on how to be a part of the Red River Clean Up contact Adam Willard at (318) 423-1690 or by e-mail at ashleysbuilding@suddenlink.net or Nancy Larned at (678) 978-4809 or by e-mail at njlarned@yahoo.com or attend a planning meeting on Wednesdays at 6p.m. at Reeves Marine located at 2000 Reeves Marine Dr, Bossier City, LA.

For more information on river clean ups happening throughout the watershed, around the state or across the country, visit www.AmericanRivers.org\cleanup.

*Pratt Recycling is supplying the Red River Clean Up with recycling containers and encourages all Shreveport and Bossier City residents to bring their recycling to the clean up. Visit http://www.shreveportgreen.org/recycling/index.cfm for information on what items can be recycled.

Source: Growing Green