By Donna Cope
The long-running cleanup campaign will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024.
Grand totals are in for the Renew Our Rivers (ROR) 2023 cleanup campaign: During 31 cleanups, 2,900 volunteers removed 123 tons of garbage from lakes and waterways across Alabama.
The refreshed, pristine shores and sparkling clean waterways “owe a debt of thanks” to thousands of dedicated ROR volunteers who come out year after year to help in cleanup efforts, said Mike Clelland, ROR coordinator in Alabama Power’s Environmental Affairs group.
“Renew Our Rivers is a well-oiled machine,” said Clelland, who worked alongside volunteers in all but two events. “It’s been a great season and we accomplished so much. It makes everyone proud to see how good the lakes look after each cleanup.”
Members of lake homeowner and boat owner groups and other organizations, such as local Boy Scout troops, neighborhood and college organizations, turn out at every cleanup to help remove trash and restore the waterways. Many individual volunteers also come, including Alabama Power employees. Before every event, Clelland supplies volunteers with ROR T-shirts, trash bags and grabbers.
Renew Our Rivers volunteers.
During the season’s final event Nov. 3-4, Clelland noted, members of the Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA) removed 5 tons of refuse from the watershed. More than 24o volunteers pitched in to help, said LMRA President Jodie McGirt.
A resident of Lake Martin for about 24 years, McGirt said, “It’s one of our biggest efforts and our best partnerships with Alabama Power that we have as an organization. Our biggest thing is we love the partnership and we love the support we get from Alabama Power Shoreline Management to help us maintain the shorelines and the waterways, because our focus is to preserve, protect and promote Lake Martin and the community surrounding it.
“So, this effort really plays into our strategic direction and our mission,” she added.
Clelland and many partnering organizations are already planning for next year’s cleanups, when the Renew Our River campaign will celebrate its 25th anniversary.
To learn more about Renew Our Rivers, click here. To learn more about Alabama Power’s many other efforts to protect the environment and Alabama’s natural resources, click here. To learn more about Alabama employee and retiree community volunteerism, click here.
