Annual Source to Sea Cleanup on the Connecticut River

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR THE 16^th ANNUAL CONNECTICUT RIVER SOURCE TO SEA CLEAN UP, Saturday September 29th, 2012 8:00 AM to 12 PM. The event in Enfield and Somers this year is again Co - Sponsored by both the Enfield Conservation Commission, and the Scantic River Watershed Association. 

Volunteers are being sought for this year’s Connecticut River Source to Sea Clean Up.  The one-day community cleanup of the Connecticut River and its tributaries will take place on Saturday September 29, 2012. The mega event is coordinated by the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC). This event includes the river’s entire length – from the source at the Canadian border 410 miles to the sea at Long Island Sound.

The volunteers are encouraged to bring canoes, kayaks, and motorized boats to help with the cleanup.  Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and bring gloves. 

The Enfield volunteers will meet at the Donald Barnes Boat Launch on South River Street in Enfield at 8:00 AM for registration and work assignments. Volunteers will be cleaning up the shoreline from the boat launch up to the state line, the Parsons Road Boat launch along the shore north of boat launch and crews will be doing some clean up along the Scantic River in Enfield, East Windsor & Somers.  This year’s clean up will be expanded to include more areas along the Scantic River which will be coordinated by the Scantic River Watershed Association.  If you want to clean up the Scantic River, please specify when you register.

By volunteering you will be preventing injuries to wildlife, stopping pollution from entering rivers and streams and helping to maintain a clean environment where people want to come and enjoy the river. 

This is the 13th year that the cleanup has been conducted in Enfield and the total accumulated amount of trash collected along the rivers through the years of the event is over 100 tons (200,000 pounds). No other volunteer groups that participate along the river are close to this amount. Last years cleanup yielded 7000 pounds or 3.5 tons of trash removed from both rivers  The Enfield Fire Department, Thompsonville Fire Department, and Town of Enfield Public works employees have assisted with previous clean ups and are expected to assist the volunteers with the cleanup this year.

For further information on how to join this great effort or make a donation of money or supplies such as trash bags, work gloves, or plywood for the Enfield Clean Up please call Betty Slanetz at 860-749-8319, or Gretchen Pfeifer-Hall at 860-749-6594, or for Scantic River, Mike Dynia –at  860-745-9986  mdynia@yahoo.com.