Now that the frigid temperatures seem to be over for the year, volunteers are hitting the roads and streams to clean out the year’s litter. The Little Juniata River Association (LJRA) is one of the first to organize a cleanup. They’ll be clearing more than 20 miles of river bank with the help of volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 9.
Groups will meet at two locations. The primary location is the Spruce Creek United Methodist Church parking Lot. Volunteers will clean up the Little Juniata banks between Barree and Altoona. The other location is at the New Pig parking lot near Tipton. These volunteers will be clearing litter from Tyrone to Altoona.
LJRA president Bill Anderson said this is the 17th year for the cleanup. He says that their numbers have waned during the pandemic, but he hopes to see folks out in full force this year.
“In a good year we expect over 200 people, the virus years have messed that up, but hopefully we’ll be back up there,” said Anderson.
He said there will be soups, kielbasa and other food available for lunch after volunteers have finished up their hard work. He says the event is also sponsored by Tastykake which will provide sweets for all participants.
Anderson said they try and get out every April to clear the banks before they become too overgrown.
“We always hold our cleanup in April because we want to get out there before it gets grow out with weeds, vines and poison ivy and all that. It makes it hard to get through, and it hides the trash,” said Anderson.
He said in the past they’ve filled two 40 foot roll away Dumpsters with trash, appliances, tires and all sorts of refuse and garbage. Volunteers such as scout groups, church groups, civic groups and schools often come out in numbers for the event.
Anderson said volunteers aren’t required to bring any equipment with them. Safety vests, gloves and trash bags will be provided at the location for all volunteers.
He said there will also be a float boat this year that will cover the Little Juniata River Natural Area. The boat will carry the litter that volunteers in kayaks and on paddle boards clean up from harder to reach parts of the river. Anderson said that anyone who wishes to work with the float boat should alert the LJRA beforehand.
According to Anderson, the LJRA is a group of volunteers that values the Little Juniata River and tries to be good stewards of the waterway.
“Our mission is to protect and improve the Little Juniata River and its tributaries, and we’ve been doing that since 1998,” said Anderson.
Anderson said the LJRA was started in 1998 to help the river recover after a major bug kill disrupted the ecosystem. After the food chain was restored, the organization went dormant until 2004 when he and other members revived it. Anderson is originally from Wilmington, Delaware, but said the Little Juniata was always a destination for him on fishing trips, and the river has become a favorite spot for him as a fly-fishing guide. They now have roughly 500 members from all across the northeast, and many are passionate fishermen.
Anderson said the cleanup will take place rain or shine, and groups will be leaving the parking lot at 9 a.m. with LJRA members serving as group leaders.
Credit: Source link
