Enjoy a wonderful paddle while helping cleanup the St. Mary’s River, Saturday, April 10, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. during the St. Mary’s River Cleanup hosted by the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association. Volunteers will paddle the St. Mary’s River Water Trail from the Great Mills Canoe/Kayak Launch to St. Mary’s College of Maryland picking up trash. The public is invited to participate.

Last year volunteers collected 70 bags of trash, nine tires, and approximately a half ton of loose trash from the St. Mary’s River Water Trail and the St. Mary’s College of Maryland campus, including the site of a recent reforestation project.

“We urge residents to get involved with the cleanup this year. It’s a great way to meet neighbors, spend time with your family and feel good about yourself and your community,” said Ginny Harris, Cleanup Coordinator with the Alice Ferguson Foundation.

Meet at the Great Mills Canoe/Kayak Launch, off MD Route 5, at 9 a.m. Bring your own canoe or kayak, life vest, and paddling gear. Help cleanup the St. Mary’s River and improve your watershed!

Please call 301-862-3517 or email info@StMarysRiver.org to RSVP.

Trash and litter has negative effects in many areas of life in the region:

• It harms wildlife;
• costs taxpayers precious funds for cleanup and removal;
• is a public health threat by increasing breeding grounds for virus carrying insects and rodents;
• decreases property values;and hurts businesses, recreation and tourism.

The St. Mary’s River Cleanup is part of the Alice Ferguson Foundation 22nd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, http://www.fergusonfoundation.org/trash_initiative/trash_cleanup.shtml.
There are more than 200 cleanup sites in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.