Wmeac River Clean Up Followup-2009

Press Release 1007 Lake Dr. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506. 616-451-3051. www.wmeac.org

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kristi Klomp Title: Water Quality Programs Manager Email: [email protected] Office Ph: 616-451-3051 ext. 25 Cell: 517-775-7149

Mayors’ Sixth Annual Grand River Clean Up Removes 8 Tons of Trash from Grand River Watershed The Mayor’s Sixth Annual Grand River Clean Up attracted 282 volunteers on Saturday, September 19, to clean up eight miles of the Grand River and its urban tributaries. This year, Mayor Sheets of Wyoming and Mayor Buck of Grandville joined Mayor Heartwell of Grand Rapids in sponsoring this annual community event which is organized by the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC). “With the addition of Grandville and Wyoming, we covered twice as much stream as we have in past years,” stated Kristi Klomp, Water Quality Programs Manager for WMEAC. “The regional cooperation we’ve received from municipal sponsors, the host of dedicated volunteers that turn out, and the generous support of area businesses in this clean up effort, attests to this community’s deep appreciation for and commitment to protecting our water resources.” Volunteers removed a wide range of debris from the river and its banks, including: liquor bottles, fast-food packaging, bicycles, toilets, refrigerators, shopping carts, tires, a mannequin leg, even a kitchen sink. A group of Civic Studio student volunteers from Grand Valley State University were inspired to include some of the items they collected into an ArtPrize exhibit entitled, “On The River” which can be viewed on the pedestrian bridge nearest the Ford Museum. The cities of Grand Rapids, Grandville, and Wyoming provided financial support and donated employee time, materials and trash pick-up for the Grand River Clean Up. Additional support was provided by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality through a grant from the Volunteer River, Stream, and Creek Cleanup Program. Other participating sponsors included the Grand Rapids Young Professionals, Dean Transportation, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Grand Rapids Pizza Delivery, the River 100.5, American Rivers, Marie Catrib’s, Wealthy Street Bakery, Biggby Coffee, Besco Water, and VanEerden Foods. West Michigan Environmental Action Council is a non-profit organization. Our mission: “Leading environmental protection in West Michigan by inspiring action.” WMEAC has served West Michigan and its environment for over 40 years. WMEAC’s key focus areas are protecting water and building environmentally sustainable communities.

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