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Rotary Club of Louisville joins forces with ORSANCO, three other Rotary Clubs for Ohio River Sweep
Clean-up effort removed 630lbs. of trash from Eva Bandman Park waterfront
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 4, 2024) – Rotary Club of Louisville volunteers teamed up with The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) to clean the Ohio River shoreline at Eva Bandman Park. It’s part of a six-state Ohio River Sweep involving three other Rotary Clubs and thousands of volunteers. Rotary members removed 630 lbs. of trash and three tires on Saturday from two miles along the Louisville waterfront.
"The Rotary Club of Louisville is proud to partner with ORSANCO and other Rotary Clubs in the Ohio River Basin for this important cleanup effort,” said Kevin Lynch, JD, president, Rotary Club of Louisville. “Keeping our waterways clean is essential for the health of our communities and the environment. I encourage everyone to join us in making a difference along the Ohio River."
ORSANCO’s annual Ohio River Sweep runs March 1 – October 31 and spans the entire length of the river. The organization provides the supplies – gloves, trash bags, etc. – and volunteers provide the labor to remove thousands of pounds of trash in total.
"It's exciting to see four Rotary Clubs coming together across state lines for the Ohio River Sweep,” said Alex Novak, Environmental Committee Chair, Rotary Club of Louisville. “We know our efforts will make a real impact on the Louisville shoreline. It'll be a great day to get outside, connect with fellow Rotarians, live out our Service Above Self motto and beautify the Ohio River for everyone."
Rotary Club of Louisville’s volunteer cleanup team is part of the 350-person strong membership for the local organization. Their service speaks to the Rotary’s commitment to creating lasting change in communities across the world. A global network of neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem solvers, Rotarians are people of action who put “Service Above Self.”
Litter pollution is a global problem and a threat to water quality. The Ohio River Sweep program aims to promote behavior change through participation of volunteers in litter cleanup events and sharing educational messaging about the importance of protecting this great natural resource.
ORSANCO Executive Director Richard Harrison explains, “While we are proud of the hundreds of tons of trash removed from the basin and thousands of volunteers engaged through the Ohio River Sweep program, our ultimate goal is to stop litter at the source so that litter cleanups are no longer necessary to preserve the health of our rivers and streams. Through our network of volunteers and engaged partners like Rotary, we hope to set the example of how to preserve the Ohio River that is not only a vital source of drinking water for over 5 million people, but also serves as a cornerstone for economic development, recreation, and aquatic habitat.”
Community members are encouraged to sign up to volunteer or host their own clean-up events, become a sponsor or make a donation to support the efforts. Visit orsanco.org/river-sweep for more information.
Download photos of the clean-up at Eva Bandman Park here.
About ORSANCO
Since 1948, ORSANCO and its member states have cooperated to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin, ensuring the river can be used as a public supply and for recreational purposes, as well as support a healthy and diverse aquatic community. ORSANCO operates numerous water quality monitoring programs to protect the Ohio River, in addition to the outreach program Ohio River Sweep to protect water quality. The Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) is a 501(c)(3) supporting nonprofit organization established in 2004 to provide educational programming in conjunction with and in support of ORSANCO’s public outreach goals. The Ohio River Sweep is a part of FORE’s programs and is fueled by the generosity of volunteers and donations.
Learn more about the ORSANCO River Sweep and FORE.
About Rotary Club of Louisville
With over 350 members, the Rotary Club of Louisville is one of the largest among Rotary International’s 46,000 clubs around the world. The community’s premier fellowship of business, professional and civic leaders, Club members are people of action, dedicated to selfless humanitarian and civic service to improve lives. For more than 110 years, the Rotary Club has welcomed speakers, guests and visiting Rotarians from all over the world at its weekly luncheon meetings, currently held on Thursdays at Joe’s Palm Room, 1821 W. Jefferson Street. Visit louisvillerotary.org or email director@louisvillerotary.org for more information. You can also engage online on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sarah Segars, ORSANCO
843-327-2946
ssegars@orsanco.org
Ashley Brauer, for Rotary Club of Louisville
270-308-1089
ashley@maxstrategicpr.com
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