Little
Juniata Cleanup Involves Many Community Groups
Volunteers
from PA CleanWays cleaned up nearly four miles of river and roadway
along Route 453 near the Huntingdon and Blair county line on Saturday,
April 28. It was a joint effort of the Blair and Huntingdon County chapters
of PA CleanWays, and was the first such dual effort in the history of
the state organization.
The
cleanup was organized to coincide with PennDOT's Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Day, an annual spring statewide cleanup of state-maintained roads. Other
groups involved in the cleanup were Tyrone Rotary, Tyrone Women's Club,
Little Juniata River Association, Trout Unlimited, and Huntingdon County
Probation. Tyrone Township and Warrior's Mark Township also supported
the cleanup.
Forty-two
volunteers from both counties worked for over four hours to clean up
250 bags of trash, as well as an additional 3.81 tons of trash hauled
by Tyrone and Warrior's Mark townships. This included several large
appliances, water heaters, and couches. Forty-two tires were also removed.
Because
of his concern for the river, Craig Garman, waterway patrolman with
the PA Fish and Boat Commission, initiated the cleanup by contacting
groups to assist with the effort. Volunteers came from all over Pennsylvania.
An angler who fishes the Little Juniata River came all the way from
Pittsburgh to help. The owner and an employee of McFarland's Rod Company
in Bellwood also participated. Five youths from Huntingdon County Probation
worked tirelessly cleaning up trash and loading heavy items onto trucks.
Volunteers from the two CleanWays chapters, service clubs, and sportsmen's
groups represented various communities and backgrounds and a wide range
of ages.
Gratitude
is expressed to the PA Fish and Boat Commission, all of the volunteers,
organizations, and businesses who supported and donated to the cleanup
effort. PennDOT supplied bags, vests, gloves, and "Litter Crew Ahead"
signs. They also picked up and removed trash that volunteers placed
along Route 453.
Tyrone
and Warrior's Mark townships provided trucks and hauled trash to Southern
Alleghenies Transfer Station, where tipping fees were waived by the
company. Tyrone Sheetz donated lunch, and Roaring Spring Water donated
nearly 20 gallons of drinking water. Appliance Outlet of Altoona removed
a freezer and dryer collected along the roadside at no charge. Jack
and Ginny Cooper of the Huntingdon chapter hauled and properly disposed
of the tires.
"These
areas of road and river that were cleaned up have been dumped on for
a long time," commented Sam Winters of the Little Juniata River Association.
"I clean up this area all of the time, but one person cannot do what
a community can do. I am really pleased with the work that was done
here today."
The
cooperative efforts of the two county chapters, individuals, organizations,
and businesses have indeed resulted in a very successful cleanup, beautifying
and restoring a scenic area. The PA Fish and Boat Commission will patrol
the area to monitor it for any future illegal dumping activity.
