FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Contact: Hannah Flath, hannahlee.flath@sierraclub.org, 860-634-0225
Christine Favilla, christine.favilla@sierraclub.org, 618-401-7870
ALTON, IL -- Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and the Army Corps of Engineers are calling for volunteers to support the 16th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival Great Mississippi River Clean-up. The river clean-up will be held on September 24 in conjunction with the Mississippi Earthtones Festival, which celebrates our river through art, music, and conservation. During the clean-up, which takes place the weekend after the festival, volunteers will work together to remove trash and debris from the beautiful Mississippi River and its shorelines. Interested community members can register to volunteer at the clean-up via bit.ly/MEFriver22.
“To date, the Mississippi Earthtones Festival Great River Clean-up has netted over 45 tons of trash and has recycled 10 tons of materials,” said Christine Favilla, Co-Coordinator of the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. “The river clean-up is hosted in honor of National Public Lands Day and provides an exciting opportunity for our community to work together to protect and conserve the river that sustains us.”
“We’re proud to partner with the Greater Alton community to aid in the Mississippi Earthtones Festival Great River Clean-up,” said Josh Schulte, Natural Resources Specialist and Recreation Lead with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “National Public Lands Day is a time for us to foster community engagement and encourage citizens to get out and enjoy their public lands by being active stewards for their conservation. We hope to see a great turn out for the Great River Clean-up.”
The Great Mississippi River Clean-up is held from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on September 24, the Saturday following the Mississippi Earthtones Festival. The exact launch point of the boat ride will be determined closer to the event, so volunteers should register to participate in order to receive event updates. Volunteers will receive a free boat ride, lunch, and t-shirt! Sierra Club Illinois will also provide gloves and bags to aid in the trash pick-up. Interested community members can learn more about the river clean-up and register to participate at bit.ly/MEFriver22.