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May 7, 2009
Shelley Szafraniec, APR
Community Information Specialist

GET BUSY WITH THE ST. JOHNS RIVER CLEANUP JUNE 6

In conjunction with National River Cleanup Week, the 13th annual St. Johns River Cleanup will begin at 8 a.m., Saturday, June 6. Boaters, scouts, civic organizations, environmental groups, businesses and individual volunteers are encouraged to help clean up the St. Johns River by removing trash and debris.

According to Darrell Abrahamson of Volusia County Environmental Management, 434 participants removed more than 15.5 tons of debris as they cleaned 59 miles of the river in the 2008 St. Johns River cleanup. Items recovered included beverage bottles and cans, clothing, fishing nets, rope, tires and three car batteries.

For this year’s cleanup, all pre-registered participants will receive a free reusable shopping bag and lunch at select sites. The cleanup sites are:

• Ninemile Point Park*, at the west end of Ninemile Point Road, Pierson
• Butler Street Boat Ramp*, east end of Butler Street, Astor (Lake County)
• DeLeon Springs State Park, 601 Burts Park Road, DeLeon Springs
• Ed Stone Park*, 2990 W. S.R. 44, DeLand
• - French Avenue boat launch / Starks Landing, (where French Avenue meets the St. Johns River), Orange City
• Lake Monroe Park*, 975 S. U.S. 17-92, DeBary
• Lake Monroe boat ramp, 980 Lakeshore Drive, Deltona
• Lemon Bluff boat ramp, 907 Lemon Bluff Road, Osteen
• Lake Harney Woods subdivision*, end of Boat Ramp Road

* Lunch is provided at these sites.

Participants are encouraged to bring water and wear sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, work gloves and comfortable clothing. They also may bring rakes and canoes or boats.

The St. Johns River Cleanup is hosted by Volusia County Environmental Management and is sponsored in part by Quality Brands; the Florida Inland Navigation District; Emerald Waste; Waste Pro; Volusia County Stormwater Utilities; Keep Volusia County Beautiful; the cities of DeLand, DeBary, Deltona, Lake Helen and Orange City; and the Town of Pierson.

For more information or to pre-register, please contact Abrahamson, event coordinator, at (386) 736-5927 ext. 2424 or click here.

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