A collective 47 volunteers removed 16,648 lbs. of trash from four different rivers in a month-long series in Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful’s 2nd annual Cherokee National Forest River Cleanup Series.
The most recent series total has the river cleanup nonprofit right on track with its record-breaking year in 2021, in which more than 700 volunteers removed over 152,000 lbs. of trash.
A volunteer rolls a tire through a cove filled with litter on Tellico Lake in Vonore TN
“As awe-inspiring as the natural scenery is around the Cherokee National Forest’s rivers, we were even more inspired by the enthusiasm of our volunteers that took each cleanup to the highest level possible,” said Kathleen Gibi, executive director of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.
The group hosted five river cleanups through February and March, collaborating with local Keep America Beautiful affiliates and local governments. Here are the results:
- Feb. 12 Tellico Lake of the Little Tennessee River Vonore TN – 4,742 lbs. 12 volunteers
- Feb. 13 Parksville Lake of the Ocoee River Benton TN – 2,288 lbs. 12 volunteers
- Feb. 26 Watauga Lake of the Watauga River Elizabethton TN – 4,616 lbs. 8 volunteers
- Feb. 27 South Holston Lake on the Holston River Abingdon VA – 1,693 lbs. 3 volunteers
- March 5 Tellico Lake of the Little Tennessee River Vonore TN – 3,309 lbs. 12 volunteers
- Total: 16,648 lbs. 47 volunteers
The 47 volunteers had other harrowing statistics from their efforts, including a total of 381 bags of trash and 89 tires removed. Volunteers ranged from individuals, to parents and their kids, to former marines, to the Theta Tau engineering fraternity from the University of Tennessee, to marina owners, to a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officer, to a repeat volunteer who has now been to KTNRB’s farthest reaching cleanups on either end of the Tennessee River watershed.
The final cleanup on Tellico Lake was comprised solely of members of the Schaad Family and Company. In addition to participating in the cleanup, the Schaad Family made a generous donation of $15,000 to KTNRB.
Information provided by Keep the TN River Beautiful.