Event clears county waterways of trash, debris

Approximately 200 volunteers picked up an estimated 400 bags of trash during Saturday's Clean Sweep Waterway cleanup, according to Caldwell County Soil and Water Conservation Officer Kevin Clark.

"We are pleased with the effort and want to thank the volunteers for all their hard work,'' Clark said. "We tried to reach out to more youth groups this year. It helps to get children involved.''

Throughout the morning crews of volunteers picked up trash along and in Caldwell County's creeks and lakes. Some crews took boats out on Lake Rhodhiss and Lake Hickory to collect trash.

Most of the volunteers consisted of civic or youth groups. About nine groups participated, including court-appointed Community Service workers.

The cleanup did not end Saturday, Clark said. One group of volunteers has delayed their cleanup effort on Wilson Creek on Brown Mountain Beach Road until Oct. 31. That day they will be working from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The group's cleanup effort was delayed due to the recent storms and flooding, he said.

The amount of trash collected this year seems about the same as last year, Clark said.

"The new sites we picked up were just as bad as the old sites,'' Clark said. "The recent storms have shifted some trash downstream. Trash was common at all the low-water bridges. On the low side bridge at Playmore Beach Road this week we picked up about 20 bags of trash.''

Workers also removed 60 vehicle gas tanks from Wilson Creek along the Playmore Beach Road this week, Clark said. One of the most common types of trash collected were plastic grocery bags, he said.

This makes the sixth year that workers have tried to remove "fossilized'' trash from the river. Next year, crews hope to finish the removal of the ancient trash, which has included appliances and other items.

Fifteen Community Service workers picked up 71 bags of trash along Lower Creek from the Cross Road Shopping Center to the Days Inn. They also picked up a dryer, tires and a number of grocery shopping carts. The garbage collected totaled approximately 500 pounds.

Community Service workers began picking up trash at 7:30 a.m. and completed the cleanup at about 10:30 a.m.

"They worked really hard,'' said Susan Strawn, Community Service program coordinator. "They had to get down into the creek to get a lot of items. Some of them got really wet feet. The Salvation Army gave me some dry, warm socks for their feet.''

The N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) also provided boots for the workers.

Every year, Strawn usually works along side the Community Services workers out in the creek picking up trash. This year, a shoulder injury kept her from participating.

This is the 10th year, Strawn has coordinated the Clean Sweep Community Service program. Each year the workers cleanup Lower Creek. For the past two years they have worked from Cross Roads Shopping Center to Days Inn. Next year, Strawn says the crew will probably clean up Lower Creek from the Department of Social Services to Winn-Dixie.

Among the most common types of trash found at both cleanups are plastic grocery bags and shopping carts. The Creek is located close to FairValue and Winn-Dixie grocery stores. The amount of trash at both locations is about the same, Strawn said.

The amount of trash picked up this year along Lower Creek is actually a little less than in the past, Strawn said.

"I really don't think there is any less trash, but the storms have pushed it further down stream, which makes it harder to get out,'' she said. "The creek also is thick with brush. I had one worker who really got some bad scratches from picking up trash.''

Through picking up trash, Community Service Workers learn the importance of not throwing out trash, Strawn said.

"I don't know how many have told me they will never throw out trash again,'' she said.

Patterson School volunteers cleaned up the Yadkin River and Buffalo Cove areas. Cub Scouts worked at the Castle Bridge access. Other volunteers worked at the Lovelady-Rhodhiss access, the Lovelady access on Lake Hickory, the John's River at Collettsville and the Lenoir Wastewater Treatment Center on Lake Rhodhiss. The Granite Falls Rotary Club cleaned up the "Tater Hole'' access in Granite Falls. Other volunteers cleaned up trash from the parking lots along U.S. 321 in Lenoir.

Saturday's Clean Sweep water cleanup was held in conjunction with The N.C. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Fall 2004 "Litter Sweep Roadside Cleanup," which began on Sept. 18. It was organized by Caldwell County's Soil and Water Conservation office.

The local cleanup will not end until Oct. 31 when a group cleans up Wilson Creek, one of the worst areas in the county.

Last year, 295 volunteers from Caldwell County participated and picked up a total of 21,000 pounds of trash.

The Caldwell County Board of Commissioners recently adopted a proclamation encouraging citizens to participate in Litter Sweep and to work throughout the year to keep the county clean.

The cleanup is part of the county's efforts to protect the county and the state's environment and natural beauty, say county officials. The efforts help attract tourists and to recruit new industries, they say.

The Fall 2004 Litter Sweep is designed "to increase awareness of the need for greater recycling efforts and eliminating litter from roadsides, rivers and streams to ensure a clean environment for a better quality of life in Caldwell County and North Carolina,'' the proclamation says.

Caldwell County Commissioners contributed $1,500 in Sales Tax Reinvestment Funds to provide T-Shirts, water bottles and other supplies to volunteers in the cleanup.

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