CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The annual Great Kanawha River Cleanup, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Make It Shine Program, is set for Saturday, September 7th from 9 a.m. to noon. Cleanup sites include Winfield Beach, St. Albans Roadside Park, the South Charleston boat ramp, and Kanawha Falls at Glen Ferris. Other clean-up sites could be added as the event nears.
This annual event brings together local volunteers to remove tons of litter from the banks of the Kanawha River and haul it off for proper disposal. Last year's cleanup saw 55 volunteers collect over 2.5 tons of trash and 41 tires.
Those wishing to volunteer for this year’s cleanup are urged to register with the WVDEP so enough supplies can be obtained for each location. The WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) will supply bags and gloves for volunteers and arrange for trash to be hauled away. All volunteers will receive a T-shirt.
REAP, whose motto is ‘Keeping WV Clean and Green,’ was created in 2005 and strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts. More information is available on the REAP webpage.