Volunteers Needed For Great Kanawha River Cleanup

The 33rd annual Great Kanawha River Cleanup, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), is set for Sept. 9, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Cleanup sites include Winfield Beach, St. Albans Roadside Park, the South Charleston boat ramp, and Kanawha Falls at Glen Ferris. Other cleanup sites could be added as the day of the event nears.

Last year’s cleanup saw 80 volunteers from Kanawha, Putnam and Mason counties collect nearly 4,000 pounds of trash and two tires from 11 sites along the Kanawha River.

The WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) will supply bags and gloves for volunteers and will arrange for trash to be hauled away. All volunteers will receive a t-shirt, but they must register early to ensure there are enough supplies for each cleanup location.

To volunteer, or suggest an additional cleanup location, contact the WVDEP’s Chris Cartwright at 304-389-8389 or by email at christopher.j.cartwright@wv.gov.

REAP was created in 2005 to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts. 

More information is available on the REAP webpage.