11th Annual RiverSweep cleans up

Over 60 volunteers, including a pack of cub scouts and a team of workers from Black River Produce, showed up Saturday morning to help clean up the Black River in Springfield.

The Black River Action Team, headed up by Kelly Stettner with help from Marita Johnson, sponsors the annual clean up event known as RiverSweep. The recent diesel fuel spill in the Black River did not hamper this year's effort any. Some shoreline rocks were a bit slipperier than they would normally be but all were cautioned to step careful. Spray bottles of liquid detergent were handed out to spray on any fuel residue floating on the water near the riverbanks and several spottings were broken up this way.

It was a cool morning for working, lucky to have gotten it in just before the start of this week's long hot spell later that day.  The clean up was accomplished between 8 a.m. and noon. A dozen grocery carts, two pillows, bicycles, broken plaster molds, tires, and road signs were among the more memorable items either pulled out of the river or off from the banks.

Volunteers enjoyed snacks of fresh fruit donated by Black River Produce Company,  fish decorated cupcakes (marking B.R.A.T.'s 10th birthday). At lunchtime, hot dogs and hamburgers donated by Main Street Market in North Springfield were grilled  and served to volunteers.

RiverSweep organizers Marita Johnson, left, and Kelly Stettner are happy with this year's  turnout of  clean up volunteers.

To view 18 more photos of this event, click here.