2009 Big Sweep a Success!
Volunteers pick up things that don't belong in our lake (furniture, tires, trash)
With a reported 1.5 tons of trash cleared from the shores and waters of our lake, Mountain Island Lake is a little cleaner after the recent N.C. Big Sweep Event held Oct. 3rd. And according to Mountain Island Lake Lakekeeper Alice Battle, it was a good day to clean up the lake. "October 3rd was a perfect day to be outside. The weather was ideal, even to pick up the trash left on vacant lands on Mountain Island Lake", reported Alice.
Several of our Catwaba Riverkeeper Foundation Covekeepers, including Battle, met at the Riverbend Boat Ramp Saturday morning with other volunteers to participate in the cleanup. Joining the Covekeepers was MIL Marine Commissioner Craig Wyant. That group was organized by Roger Caldwell of Duke Power's Riverbend Steam Station. A second group with 130 volunteers met at Latta Plantation and many were ferried to lake cleanup locations by Mecklenburg County boats.
Covekeeper Pat Hutchinson bags some trash
According to Battle, besides the usual collection of bottles and cans, the Covekeeper cleanup crew also gathered a baby stroller, four barbeque grills, one tire with wheel rim, and various items of clothing. "Our group needed two refills of garbage bags", she said reflecting on the boatload of litter they collected.
Popular picnic spots on public land often bear the signs of heaviest use since people all too frequently leave their trash behind after a day of enjoying our lake. Camping and campfires in areas where those activities are not permitted continues to be a major source of litter on the shoreline of our lake. Some of the barbeque grills collected appeared to have been secluded in the bushes of lakeside picnic areas where they could be easily retrieved for future use. Of course, leaving anything behind is considered littering and is illegal. Some waterfront picnic sites even had semi-permanent structures erected on them, which, like overnight camping is strictly against the law.
MIL Marine Commissioner Craig Wyant helps the cause
Since over three-quarters of a million people get their drinking water from Mountain Island Lake, keeping our lake clean is more than a matter of aesthetics and is a task that demands more than a single day's effort on the a Saturday in October. We hope everyone who spends time on MIL will keep that in mind.
Members of the Mountain Island Lake Covekeepers that came to participate in Big Sweep 2009 are Kathy Jaeck, Skip Hudspeth, Fred and Pat Hutchinson and Alice Battle. Three members joined the clean up of Big Island, the State Forest and Mt. Holly’s property near the Gastonia and Mt. Holly Water Intakes.
Unidentified kayaker paddling to clean up
After the 115 bags of collected trash and various grills, furniture and car parts had been hauled off to the landfill, Lakekeeper Battle observed "Great work team! You made a difference." The Mountain Island Covekeepers would like to say thanks to everyone who helped at the Big Sweep event.
FOR PHOTOS FROM THE LAKE WYLIE RIVERSWEEP EVENT, CLICK HERE
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