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ORSANCO To Host Litter Cleanup Celebration Event
Join dedicated volunteers, partners, and sponsors of the Ohio River Sweep
Cincinnati, OH - October 24th, 2024. Local volunteers are gathering at the City of Cincinnati Schmidt Boat Ramp to remove litter along the Ohio River on Friday, October 25, from 9am-11am. This event is a part of the basin-wide litter cleanup program known as the Ohio River Sweep and is facilitated by Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) where thousands of volunteers take part in hundreds of cleanup events along the Ohio River and throughout the basin to help protect water quality and aquatic life by preventing trash from entering local waterways. The event is open to the public and families are welcome!
The Ohio River is 981 miles (1582 km) long, starting at the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and ending in Cairo, Illinois, where it flows into the Mississippi River. More than 30 million people live in the Ohio River Basin and the Ohio River is a source of drinking water for more than five million people. ORSANCO Executive Director, Richard Harrison, explains, “It’s important for everyone in the Ohio River Basin to remember we are all a part of this watershed and by working together these types of cleanup events have a major impact on water quality.” Harrison is inspired by the camaraderie gained when collaborating with local communities to improve the quality of the Ohio River watershed. “It creates a connection and sense of belonging to a local purpose with a global impact. Each volunteer contribution is valuable and truly makes a difference!”
This cleanup event is the season closing celebration for the Ohio River Sweep program where ORSANCO brings together volunteers, partners, and sponsors to announce the total impact of the program for the season and offer a free pizza lunch for networking afterwards. Registration is required; all volunteers must sign up and submit a waiver.
WHEN:
Friday, October 25th, 2024 from 9:00AM-11:30AM
WHERE:
Schmidt Ball Fields and Boat Ramp, 2944 Humbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
DETAILS:
Registration begins at 8:30 am with light snacks. The event will be rain or shine unless there are dangerous conditions or high water. Come dressed for the weather; wear closed toed shoes and clothes that can get dirty, consider sunscreen and bug spray, and bring a filled reusable water bottle. We will provide each volunteer with gloves, trash bags, and an event t-shirt. Canoes/Kayaks are welcome – remember to bring a lifejacket! Pizza will be provided for lunch after the cleanup event.
REGISTER:
All volunteers must register for the event to ensure we bring enough supplies and food, sign up at orsanco.org/end-of-season-cleanup-event.
The ORSANCO Ohio River Sweep program season runs annually from March through October and is composed of numerous litter cleanup events along the Ohio River and throughout the entire watershed. This popular seasonal program raises public awareness about the need for healthy rivers and streams within the Ohio River Basin and is a great opportunity for community involvement and environmental stewardship. ORSANCO Public Involvement and Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Segars, explains t he Ohio River Sweep program is fueled by the generosity of its volunteers, sponsors, and partner agencies. "They are the heartbeat of the program, and without them, the collaborative cleanup efforts throughout the entire Ohio River watershed would cease to exist." Families, communities, and organizations are all welcome to participate and anyone is able to host a cleanup event. To learn more about Ohio River Sweep or find cleanup events happening near you, visit orsanco.org/river-sweep and click on any location on the interactive map.
Organizational Information
ORSANCO is an interstate agency that collectively works together with 8 member states and a vast network of partner agencies to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin. The Ohio River Sweep is the annual, volunteer cleanup where participants remove litter at multiple locations along the Ohio River and many of its tributaries. Since 1989, this award-winning cleanup program has been organized by Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE), and the environmental protection agencies from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
www.orsanco.org/river-sweep, www.facebook.com/OhioRiverLearning, www.twitter.com/ORSANCOchannel, www.instagram.com/orsancochannel
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