Athens-area residents will wade into local rivers and streams as part of the continuing statewide campaign to clean and preserve Georgia’s waterways. Rivers Alive is a volunteer cleanup program initiated by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and organized across Georgia by several local organizations.

The annual waterway cleanup is expected to be 2019’s largest single volunteer effort to beautify Georgia’s water resources. Volunteers in Athens will gather on Saturday, October 5 from 8:00 a.m. to noon to participate. Volunteer check-in will be at 8:00 a.m. at Sandy Creek Nature Center, located at 205 Old Commerce Road in Athens, where breakfast and t-shirts for the first 300 volunteers will be provided. Parking is limited at Sandy Creek Nature Center, so carpooling is highly encouraged. Volunteer teams will relocate to their assigned cleanup sites shortly after the kickoff celebration. 

During last year’s Rivers Alive cleanup, 276 volunteers helped collect 3.2 tons (6,400 pounds) of trash, 7,180 pounds of recycling, and 164 tires. Volunteer interested in making a meaningful impact in Athens can visit www.accgov.com/riversalive for more information about the event and registration. Volunteers should bring a reusable water bottle and wear gloves, long pants, and closed-toed shoes. 

Rivers Alive in Athens, Georgia is organized by Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful, Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department, Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department, Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program, Athens-Clarke County Sustainability Office, Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Office, Athens Land Trust, UGA Office of Service-Learning, Upper Oconee Watershed Network, Oconee River Land Trust, and Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission. 

Sponsors for the event include: WUOG 90.5 FM, Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program, Jacobs Engineering Group, Koons Environmental, Half-Moon Outfitters, Trader Joes, Golden Pantry, Coca-Cola, Creature Comforts, WaterMan Spring Water and Rivers Alive/Georgia Department of Natural Resources.