Confluence Trash Bash set for March 23

St. Louis, Mo. --  The Great Rivers Greenway District and Trailnet are inviting area residents to join them in their fight to clean up the rivers and creeks within the Confluence Greenway and the Missouri/Mississippi River watersheds. More 1,000 volunteers are expected. Past clean-ups have removed more than 20 tons of trash from area streams and rivers.

Individual volunteers, civic groups and youth organizations are encouraged to volunteer. No experience is necessary! Volunteers will be provided a free t-shirt, bags, and gloves.

One of the region’s largest river clean ups, the Confluence Trash Bash, will be held Saturday, March 23, starting at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers can choose from four starting locations:

• OLD CHAIN OF ROCKS BIDGE at 10950 Riverview Drive in St. Louis
• CREVE COEUR PARK at 2143 Creve Coeur Mill Road in St. Louis
• ST. FERDINAND PARK at 1 St. Ferdinand Drive in Florissant
• CHOUTEAU TOWNSHIP at 3244 West Chain of Rocks Road in Granite City, IL

Register at: stlmsd.com/educationoutreach/msdgreeninitiatives/streamcleanassistance

Clean-up sites will be chosen or assigned and are near the starting locations. At the end of the clean-up, participants will regroup at the sign-up locations for a celebration (BASH) and free lunch. During lunch, prizes will be awarded to volunteers for trash finds in three separate categories: Weirdest Trash, Largest Trash, and Most Expensive Trash. Happy hunting!

Volunteers should plan on working hard, having fun, getting wet and dirty, and leaving with the sense that they’ve contributed to the environment and to our local water quality in a very significant way,” said Dona Schuh-Anderson of Metropolitan Sewer District.

Municipalities in St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis are joining in the effort, which has removed 79 tons of trash and scrap, and 1,975 tires from our streams and neighborhoods in just four years.

This project would not be possible without the participation of our proud sponsors: Trailnet, Great Rivers Greenway, Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, Missouri American Water, St. Louis Audubon Society, St. Louis County Department of Highways and Traffic, Missouri Stream Teams, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri River Relief, Missouri & Piasa Palisades Group of Sierra Club, Operation Clean Stream, St. Louis City, St. Louis County; along with municipalities within the Missouri and Mississippi River Watersheds: Bellefontaine Neighbors, Bel-Ridge, Berkeley, Bridgeton, Calverton Park, Chesterfield, Cool Valley, Dellwood, Ferguson, Florissant, Jennings, Hazelwood, Maryland Heights, Moline Acres, Overland, St. Ann, Town and Country, and Woodson Terrace.