BRAT Volunteers Sweep The River Clean - Again

For the twenty-second consecutive year, volunteers with the Black River Action Team have stepped up to remove all manner of trash from the bed and banks of the waterways in our communities. On Saturday, September 11th, the annual RiverSweep cleanup took place in Springfield; local radio station WCFR set up a booth to broadcast live from the registration table at Riverside Middle School, while people of all ages and affiliations spread out to tackle trash. A three-man crew worked by boat from North Springfield down to the school, extracting several tires and plenty of old tarps and metal junk from the sediment and water. Several members of Scout Troop 252 also worked from the water, paddling between Riverside Middle School and the Route 11 bridge. Youngsters and their parents were led by Scoutmaster Matt Burlew, who hauled out a trailer full of (you guessed it!) tires and old metal junk. On shore along the stretch between the Route 11 bridge and Brown Field, Scouts retrieved several bags full of food wrappers, popcorn bags, cans and bottles, and a dozen discarded face masks.

The Parent family headed to the Springfield Shopping Plaza on foot to retrieve trash around the parking lot, and paused to reflect as members of the Springfield Fire Department, who had one of their engines parked in the plaza with an enormous American flag, held a moment of silence for those lost in the attacks of 9/11.

Stephen Lawrence, coach of the cross-country team at Springfield HS, met several of his student athletes and the BRAT registration table to make contact before heading out to the Toonerville Trail for their leg of the RiverSweep. The team returned with the expected load of tires and trash, but also a small lawn chair, a mini-fridge, and an air conditioner unit.

As members of the Calvary Baptist Church set up to grill hot dogs donated by JC's Market & Deli of North Springfield, volunteers cleaned up and munched bags of chips provided by Deep River Snacks and sipped water donated by Shaw's Supermarket of Springfield.

All trash was sorted into recyclable plastic, tires, and metal; redeemable cans & bottles were turned in for about $4, which went into the BRAT donation can. Items were then hauled to the Springfield Recycle and Transfer Station for proper routing and disposal. All told, some 17 bags of trash were recovered, including the 12 face masks. Three bags of recyclable plastic, an old flu shot poster, a traffic cone, and 13 tires rounded out the Springfield "haul" this year.

The following week, students from the Ludlow Elementary School and Cavendish Area Elementary School headed out with teachers and other adult volunteers to check for trash, remove invasive Japanese knotweed, and check for invasive Phragmites reed at areas along the Black River in their respective communities. Trash recovered included a vehicle bumper and other metal junk, cans and plastic bags, and a rubber duck from a recent fundraising duck race, which was returned to the Ludlow Rotary Club.

BRAT Director Kelly Stettner wishes to thank all the supporters and donors (all of whom are listed on the back of the annual tee shirts), and most especially each and every volunteer who participated in this year's effort. It is the dedication of dozens of individuals who step up and donate their time and elbow grease that makes an organization such as BRAT so effective at promoting stewardship of the Black River. Learn more at https://blackrivercleanup.wixsite.com/blackriveractionteam or by leaving your contact information at (802) 738-0456.

(Photo: Cross-Country Team with Junk by Kelly Stettner.)