River Cleanup
Deep within the Green Swamp, the Hillsborough River begins to trickle toward its salty end at the mouth of Tampa Bay. All along its wending waters carry rain-swept litter and junk dumped by degenerates. The debris mars the river, habitat to countless species of wildlife and the backdrop of the city's downtown. And because neither the fish nor the birds nor the river is capable of purging this trash, the responsibility falls back on us, who populate the place where the garbage originates.The Mayor's Beautification Program heads up this necessary chore, holding the 15th annual Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 23.
Since its inception, the cleanup is responsible for removing from the river more than 170 tons of garbage: shopping carts, mattresses, clothes, car parts, toilets, sinks, tires, clothes, safes, etc.
800-plus volunteers 14 and older are needed to help clear an estimated 10 tons of garbage from 22 cleanup sites along the river and its connected waterways. The majority of these volunteers are high school groups and college students, but families and individuals are encouraged to join as well. Boaters are especially needed to retrieve debris from the waters.
Volunteers meet at the Lowry Park Boat Ramp, where garbage bags and work gloves are issued. Everyone also receives a complimentary breakfast and a picnic lunch, plus T-shirts (provided on a first-come, first-served basis).
Then it's off to a designated site to do an unquestionably good deed for your community.
Founded in 1989, the Mayor's Beautification Program is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build communities that value and contribute to the Bay's natural outdoor environment by beautifying public areas, parks and streetscapes.
Event sponsors include the city of Tampa Solid Waste Department, city of Tampa Parks Department, The Tampa Tribune, Cargill Fertilizer, Publix Super Markets and Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
For more info or to register for the cleanup, call the Mayor's Beautification Program at 813-221-8733.
Lowry Park is located at 7525 N. Boulevard, Tampa. 813-221-8733.
This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2002.