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3.5 Tons Of Trash Picked Up By Volunteers Organized By Clinton County CleanScapes
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Volunteers of the 8th Annual Clinton County CleanScapes West Branch Susquehanna River cleanup collected nearly three and a half tons of refuse on July 23rd, most of it retrieved around Boom Island in Lock Haven. Tires were the day’s target, however, and according to CleanScapes Project Director, Elisabeth Lynch McCoy, volunteers retrieved over 2.01 tons of tires from the river.
The event’s sponsor, Pittsburgh-based Liberty Tire Recycling, provided added incentive and much needed support. Advertised as “the premier provider of tire recycling services in North America,” Liberty has donated over $3,200 for this year’s CleanScapes summer cleanup program.
“We are thrilled that Liberty Tire Recycling has chosen to support us in this summer’s river cleanup events,” said McCoy, “and their support gives us the resources to continue to provide our community members and visitors with waterways that are visually more attractive and safer for all forms of recreational activities.”
As the event began, McCoy told volunteers gathered early Saturday morning that “the tires coming out of the river today will be remanufactured as new products by Liberty, and will help support job sustainability and job creation within Pennsylvania.”
Kurt Meyer, vice president of sales and marketing for Liberty Tire, voiced his appreciation for CCC’s efforts. “We applaud them,” he said, for the efforts across Clinton and Lycoming counties in recovering thousands of scrap tires that sit at the bottoms of our streams and rivers.”
Additional support for this event was provided by a grant from the Clinton Community Foundation, PennDot District 2 supplied boxes of garbage bags and gloves, the Wayne Township Landfill /Solid Waste Authority donated the roll-offs and tipping fees, Lowe’s of Mill Hall supplied cases of water, and Curt’s Smokin’ Ribs provided the hard working participants with a catered lunch.
The superheroes of the day, though, were the volunteers themselves, young and old. Totaling 47 in number, their spirit of community and camaraderie was palpable, as was their determination to maintain the beauty and health of the river.
“CCC has been working on this section of the West Branch for eight years,” notes McCoy, “from the railroad bridge just west of Queens Run downstream to the western edge of the Great Island. From 2004-2011, 633 CCC volunteers have removed 9.03 tons of trash and 1,551 tires! CCC will continue working the location and will return to the Great Island location on September 10.”
“I’ve been doing clean ups for about seven years,” said volunteer, SueAnn Schatz, of Lock Haven. “I was involved in the first CCC river clean-up, and there was so much debris, but every year it gets better and it is so gratifying to see,” she added. “I always feel like it’s a chance to do my part for our home.”
Seventeen-year old Ryan Conklin of Beech Creek, whose kayak sports a Jaguar hood ornament from his father’s garage, said he appreciated the break from the recent heat wave during the morning cleanup.
“The overcast sky was nice. It made it easy to look into the water,” he said. Conklin, who hauled out a 15-foot length of iron pipe in addition to numerous tires, will assist CleanScapes in a tire location survey along Bald Eagle Creek in August. Conklin is a senior at Keystone Central Mountain High School, and will participate in the survey as part of his senior project.
Mitzi Fritz of Williamsport said she knew about the Clinton County river cleanup after initiating the CCC cleanup in Loyalsock Township the previous week. “I had a great time [in Loyalsock],” she said, “so I decided to participate in this West Branch cleanup too. I paddle with Kevin O’Shea’s group from Country Ski and Sports [in Montoursville] each week, so seeing all the debris and garbage makes me want to clean up everything so I can paddle in a beautiful place.”
Sue Boland of Lock Haven laughed that the doughnuts in the morning are a big draw, but that her real motivation for participating in cleanups is her enjoyment of nature. “I enjoy nature and helping preserve the beauty of the area,” she said. “I’m doing my teeny tiny part.”
Robert (Bob) Rolley, Jr., who recruited five pontoon owners and operators to join in the day’s cleanup, received special recognition. Local pontoon owners shuttled and supported scuba divers throughout the morning. Much needed assistance was also provided by eight inmates from the Clinton County Correctional Facility along with staff member, Steve Lehman, who helped unload tires from boaters and carry them to the dumpster area.
“We have partnered with them for many years and these inmates are doing community service” said McCoy, “and their efforts allow the volunteers to concentrate all of their time on the river.”
Thanks also went to Rich Best, owner of Sunken Treasure Scuba Center, and fellow divers, who collected tires and rubbish from the riverbed near the Jay Street Bridge. One of the divers, Chuck Schultz from Lock Haven, said he likes to participate “because it helps clean up the environment, and helps send a message so we don’t keep putting our garbage out there.”
Schultz, who said he has been involved in cleaning up the West Branch before CleanScapes became officially involved in 2008, reported that he and fellow divers had previously pulled out 200 or more tires from the Jay Street Bridge location.
Long time CleanScapes volunteers and current advisory board members Steve Bason, Colleen Xethakis, Les Kleckner, and John Reid were also on hand. Kleckner, who is 80 but looks 60, said his participation in helping the environment goes way back, starting in 1972 when he and nineteen others were charged with helping to implement the newly established Environmental Protection Agency by President Nixon.
In 2000, he became part of the local Lock Haven advisory team charged with studying natural resource use in Pennsylvania. For today’s event, President Steve Bason supported the paddlers and divers by operating his motor boat and shuttled all of the collected refuse to the Jay Street Bridge drop-off location.
Reid, who currently serves as CCC’s Vice President, said he first got involved in the cleanups around 2004 when he saw an ad in the Express newspaper and decided to participate. “I think this is my 1,238th cleanup!” he joked. Xethakis, who served as one of the day’s safety captains, perhaps best expressed volunteers’ passion and commitment to cleaning up the area’s waterways. “There is no greater legacy to leave,” she said, “than for a species, or part of the ecosystem, to thrive because we lived.”
Gratitude for fulfilling part of that legacy was expressed for Don Lysle, who was distinguished on Saturday as CCC’s volunteer of the year. Lysle was unable to attend the day’s event, but was honored by former award recipients Rick Best, Rick Barner, and Cristine Knell who accepted the award on Lysle’s behalf.
For more information on the upcoming September 10 Susquehanna Cleanup and on how you can help, visit the Clinton County CleanScapes webpage.
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8/15/2011 |
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