Rivers Alive

As the weather cools down and fall bestows upon us that beautiful scenery of changing leaves, it is easy to get swept away with all of the fun activities that fall has to offer. Whether it be a carnival with tons of fun games, a tailgate cheering on your favorite team, or just spending some time outside; fall is the number one season.

When I think about my perfect autumn day, I imagine myself with a pumpkin spiced latte in hand (in reusable coffee mug of course), my favorite pair of chacos on my feet, a fleece to keep me warm, thousands of trees all around me, a river flowing freely with the sounds of birds echoing in the distance, and beautiful bright colors illuminating the tops of the trees. Without a doubt, I would not include a pile of trash in this picture.

If you feel this same way, let me introduce you to the 21st Annual Rivers Alive Clean Up Event on October 6th, 2012. This is an incredible opportunity to get yourself immersed (literally) with protecting our local water ways!
Some background information on Rivers Alive:

• It is s a state-wide campaign to help protect over 70,000 miles of Georgia's rivers and streams
• There are over 200 clean up crews across the state that will be beautifying their rivers and streams on this same day
• The program started in the early 1990's with a mission to protect and clean up major river systems in the state of Georgia with the help of local volunteers

As you can see here, this objective is no easy feat. With 70,000 miles of Georgia rivers and streams to protect, I think even Superman would have some trouble. As a community, it is imperative that we come together and take a few hours out of our weekend to participate in this worthy effort. Just to reinstate something I am sure you all are already well aware of, water is everywhere and in almost everything! Whether it is in your glass, in your shower, cleaning your dishes, in your pool, or in your food you need clean water.
Now that I have convinced you to join us on October 6th (or at least that is the hope) here are some details on the event!

When: Saturday October 6, 2012 from 9:00 AM- 1:00 PM
Where:  Dudley Park on the corner of MLK Parkway and East Broadstreet
Schedule: 8:00am-9:00am - Volunteer Check-in at Dudley Park (FREE T-SHIRT! Coffee, juice and snacks will be available)
9:00am-12:00pm - Clean-up projects
12:00pm-1pm - Prizes, lunch, and music!
What to Bring: Volunteers should bring a reusable water bottle and gloves, and wear long pants and closed toed shoes. Lunch and entertainment will be provided after the cleanup.
How to Register: Register online at  http://volunteer.truist.com/hng/user/events/one.tcl?event_id=10539544386 or call 706-353-1313 ext231

Bring the family, friends, spouses, third cousins whoever! Come be a part of protecting our water systems and make that perfect autumn day your reality!

-Nicole, WCO Intern