Over 4,000 pounds of garbage has been cleaned off the shores of the Kenai River in the past week.
The second annual Kenai River Spring cleanup began just over a week ago and organizer Keith Baxter said that debris and fishing remnants was collected by over 600 students in just two days.
Baxter: “And I think that’s awesome and those kids deserve a lot of credit and I’m really happy to be a part of the cleanup where we can reward their efforts. The school kids who collected the most weight will all receive a fishing rod to recognize their efforts and we have a lot of other prizes for folks.”
Baxter said not only have they seen increased volunteer participation but sponsors donating prizes has increased also.
Those pounds do not yet include what community members, families, and individuals have collected since then and the fun’s not over.
Baxter: “And if you bring that trash that you collect, either by yourself or as a group or with your family to the barbecue that we’re going to have to kind of celebrate everybody’s efforts, and that’s going to take place at Soldotna Creek Park at 10:30 am on Saturday, May 16. And trash collection will go from 10:30-11:30 where the trash will be weighed and collected and everybody who turns in trash will be entered to win various prizes and drawings.”
Baxter said the event aims to educate about the importance of the river and teaching students and the community their part in environmental stewardship.
Last year the event collected 2,500 pounds of garbage overall.
