The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are joining forces to clean up the Wissahickon Creek on April 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Montgomery County.

This spring marks the 44th anniversary of the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association's annual creek clean up, which is sponsored by Merck and Co. It is the fifth year that Friends of the Wissahickon has worked together with WVWA to clean the Wissahickon Creek. This is the first year that the Wissahickon East Project is involved in the effort.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon East Project will focus their cleanup efforts on the newest addition to Fairmount Park, the newly acquired six-acre Wissahickon East parcel in East Mt. Airy.

For the last 15 years, neighbors in East Mt. Airy have fought against the development of six acres of land adjacent to Cresheim Creek. In October 2013, the land was transferred from the developers to Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and the parcel is now part of Fairmount Park. The Wissahickon East Project is the non-profit organization that takes care of the land.

In Montgomery County, volunteers of all ages will be pre-assigned sections of the Wissahickon Creek or a tributary, extending from Lansdale to Flourtown. Sign-up online or contact Gina Craigo at 215-646-8866 ext.17 or send email to: gina@wvwa.org.

Please indicate the name, size and age range of your group and whether you will join the picnic. You will be contacted and assigned a clean up location.

To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon East Project in Philadelphia, meet at the intersection of Anderson Street and Woodbrook Lane in Philadelphia. Parking is available along Woodbrook Lane but is limited. Volunteers are needed to help clean up along the creek, and nearby areas of the park and neighborhood.

Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register online. Please indicate if you plan to attend the picnic. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Eric Falk with questions at 215-247-0417 x107 or send email to: falk@fow.org.

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate. Volunteers will be assigned to clean sections of the area and will be given bags in which to collect trash.

Following the clean up, volunteers are invited to WVWA's "Talkin' Trash" picnic at the Fort Washington State Park at the Flourtown pavilion on Mill Road from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  To register, contact FOW Volunteer Coordinator, Eric Falk, by sending email to: falk@fow.org. 

Registration is not required but is recommended in order to be notified in case of any changes due to weather.  Workdays will be cancelled in the event of heavy rain. Check FOW website.

Sponsors of this event provide funding for WVWA's stewardship efforts throughout the year. The presenting sponsor is Merck & Co. Volunteers from Merck's West Point plant located at the headwaters of the Wissahickon Creek will help with the clean up.

Conservationist sponsors include Covanta, DOW Chemical Company, First Niagara Bank and MSS Movers Specialty Service. Both DOW and First Niagara Bank will also send employee volunteers to help with the clean up.

Additional sponsorship is provided by Aqua Pennsylvania, Ambler Savings Bank, Artman Lutheran Home, BBD, LLP, Caddick Construction, First Priority Bank, Manufacturer's Golf & Country Club, North Penn Water Authority, The Philadelphia Cricket Club, Rotary Club of Blue Bell and Russell Roofing.

Companies interested in sponsoring the creek clean up should contact Carol DeLancey at WVWA at 215-646-8866.

3/24/2014