3 minute read
KEEPING THE LAKE BEAUTIFUL
Ken Holland brings in a boatload of trash every year Ashton Dark and Hanna Gilliland earned their cleanup T-shirts last year
STORY BY BETSY ILER
TThe fall extension of Lake Martin’s winter pool won’t adversely affect the annual Renew Our Rivers cleanup of shorelines and area roadways, said John Thompson, president of Lake Martin Resource Association, which coordinates the annual event. This year’s cleanup will take place Nov. 5 and 6, and efforts are under way to involve more volunteers in more places around the lake. John Coley at Lake Martin Voice Realty will help to coordinate a friendly competition among local Realtors to encourage their offices in filling the trash bags this year. The plan is to devise titles and prizes for agents to win in categories like recruiting the most non-agents as volunteers, collecting the most bags, weirdest object found during the cleanup and highest percentage of the office turning out. By mid-September, at least six lake area real estate offices had committed to taking part.
Lake magazine again will collect items from local businesses and individuals for the Golden Picker prize bag. Prize bag contents should be delivered to Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., at 548 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City, by Oct. 22 or, to arrange a pick up, email Lake editor Betsy Iler at editor@lakemartinmagazine.com.
Volunteers that send their cleanup photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com or upload them on the lakemartinmag page on Instagram @ #goldenpicker or @ #cleanuplakemartin by Nov. 15 will be entered in the drawing to win the bag of goodies. Last year’s Golden Picker prize bag was valued at $1,000 and included a laptop computer from Fix-It Electronics, lake area restaurant gift cards, merchandise from local boutiques, hats, T-shirts, beach towels, drink cups and more. Some 400 volunteers turned out to clean up 14 tons of trash from lake access roads and shorelines last November, and Thompson said he’s hoping for an even bigger turnout this year.
Lake Martin Resource Association, Alabama Power, Russell Lands, Green for Life Environmental, Wind Creek State Park, Lake Martin Dock Company and TowBoatU.S. Lake Martin will partner once again on the logistics of the Lake Martin Renew Our Rivers cleanup this year.
Picker tools and trash bags will be available for free to volunteers during the event, and T-shirts will be given to volunteers that drop collected trash at designated dumpster sites between 8 a.m.
and noon on both days of the cleanup. The custom designed T-shirts for the cleanup will feature artwork from the Renew our Rivers art contest held annually at Stephens School. Volunteers are encouraged to work independently with their cleanup efforts and deliver bagged trash to dumpsters at the Kowaliga public n n n n n n n n Renew Our Rivers Cleanup at Lake Martin Nov. 5 & 6 Volunteers can pick up supplies at dumpster locations beginning at 8 a.m. on both Friday, Nov. 5, and Saturday Nov. 6. Trash can be deposited in the dumpsters between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on both cleanup dates. Volunteers in the Real Island area will have access to dumpsters located at Real Island Marina. Volunteers will be urged to separate recyclables, which will be accumulated and delivered to the Alexander City Recycling Center. On Saturday, Nov. 6, local youth groups are invited to clean designated areas at Wind Creek State Park, where snacks and cold drinks will be provided. Volunteers will be available at the dumpster sites to assist in unloading boats or vehicles during the hours of the cleanup. Contact LMRA President John Thompson at 1942jthompson420@gmail.com for more information. boat ramp, Wind Creek State Park Marina, Union public boat ramp and Real Island Marina. If transporting the bagged trash proves difficult, arrangements can be made to have it picked up, Thompson said. Renew Our Rivers is an Alabama Power initiative to protect the environment and clean up litter and trash from reservoir areas near the power company’s licensed projects. The program started in 2000 when Alabama Power employees volunteered to clean up a heavily littered area near their work site. Since then, more than 13.5 million pounds of trash and debris have been collected in more than 30 locations across the Southeast through the ROR effort. Learn more about Renew Our Rivers at alabamapower.com/ company/community-projects-and programs/ lakes-and-recreation.
