Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 23 – Volunteers Needed

From a press release:

“The Eighth Annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 23, from 9 am to 12 pm.  Rock Creek Conservancy is seeking volunteers to remove trash and debris at over 75 locations along the 33-mile length of Rock Creek. Our goal is total stream cleanup of Rock Creek and its tributaries, the parks connected to Rock Creek, and the neighborhoods near Rock Creek where trash originates.

During the Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup, volunteers carrying colorful trash bags can be seen for miles in Rock Creek parks. The three-hour cleanup will bring together kids, families, and adults of all ages to pick up litter from the creek and woodlands. “People love Rock Creek and are really eager to be involved,” according to Conservancy Executive Director, Matthew Fleischer. “They can make a difference right here, and it’s a wonderful way for kids to be outside and learn to give back to their community.”

People interested in volunteering can find a cleanup location and sign up on the Rock Creek Conservancy Map. The Extreme Cleanup events are organized by Conservancy Stream Teams in partnership with Montgomery County Parks, the National Park Service, and the Alice Ferguson Foundation. “The National Park Service is excited to work with our partners and neighbors to take care of Rock Creek Park,” Superintendent Tara Morrison said. “Events like Extreme Cleanup have measurable positive impacts and help people find their park right here in the heart of the district.”

During each of the past seven years, volunteers have collected over 5,000 bags of litter, 75 tons of junk, 900 tires, and 38,000 plastic bags.  As a result of these efforts, many locations are much cleaner. But trash still accumulates through littering and illegal dumping of large items, such as furniture and construction waste. When it rains, litter—mostly plastic bags and bottles—from the street gutters in surrounding neighborhoods wash into the storm sewer system that drains straight to the nearest creek.

Cleanup sponsors include EastBanc, Giant, The Tower Companies, The Rock Creek Group, WSSC, Green For all Seasons, and CH2M Hill.”