After Saturday, Sept. 19, the rivers and streams around Toledo will look a little cleaner.
That’s because the 19th annual Clean Your Streams event will be taking place, bringing in hundreds of volunteers to tidy up area waterways. The University of Toledo is participating in the event by hosting two kickoff locations: the Ottawa River by the Law Center and Swan Creek at UT Medical Center.
Other locations include Olander Park, Monroe Street United Methodist Church, Three Meadows Park, Oregon Municipal Building and International Park.
Each year, the event brings in volunteers to help pick up trash and restore habitats. Because supplies are limited, volunteers are asked to register before Wednesday, Sept. 9, by calling 419.874.0727 or going to PartnersForCleanStreams.org/events/cys.
“The actual task of picking up garbage helps clean up the river,” said Dr. Patrick Lawrence, UT professor and chair in the Department of Geography and Planning, and chair of the President’s Commission on the River. “But I think it also helps people to be more aware — they understand the rivers and streams and that they’re important as part of our environment and part of our community.”
Clean Your Streams is just one of a few events happening for Celebrate Our River Week at the University, which is put on by the UT President’s Commission on the River.
At 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, submissions are due for the fourth annual Student River Photography Contest. Winners of the contest will be selected and announced at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Student River Plaza. For more information, click here. To submit a photo, email pPatrick.lawrence@utoledo.edu.
Submissions will be on display in Carlson Library starting Thursday, Sept. 17, and winners will be framed and put on the third floor of the library. There also will be informational posters about area rivers on the first floor.
Clean Your Streams will conclude events Saturday, Sept. 19, but also will kick off a week of events culminating with the inauguration of Dr. Sharon Gaber as UT president Friday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. in Savage Arena.
Gaber has been very supportive and involved with this year’s planning of Clean Your Streams and Celebrate Our River Week.
“With her background as an urban and regional planner, I think she’s very much interested in things having to do with the river and campus planning, as well as involvement between the University and the community,” Lawrence said.
