Where can you do a good thing for the environment while getting some exercise and rubbing shoulders with Mayor Iorio? At Lowry Park, during the 19th Annual Mayor's Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup. Volunteers pick up trash and remove non-native invasive plants from 22 cleanup sites along the river and its connecting waterways; separate, five-member teams compete in "Rally for the River" challenges, which include cleanup in addition to a series of mental and physical challenges. The winning team is dubbed "River Rats 2006" and will be honored at the 18th Annual Mayor's Breakfast in January. Every participant is treated to breakfast prior to the cleanup, and a picnic lunch afterwards, with T-shirts for the first 1,000. Sat., Nov. 18, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Lowry Park Boat Ramp, 7525 N. Boulevard, Tampa. To register, contact Heather A. Robinson at 813-221-8733 or heather.robinson@mbptree.org.
This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2006.