COVINGTON, KY – The City of Covington invites citizens to participate and volunteer in the Living Lands & Waters’ (LL&W) 2017 Ohio River Tour, starting August 29 through September 19.
The LL&W organization travels on a barge through the nation's waterways and uses volunteers to remove trash from rivers and educate the public on watershed conservation.
While in Covington, the LL&W 2017 Ohio River Tour will host a series of water-based cleanup events, supported by community volunteers, and educational student workshops for local high schools aboard their “floating classroom.”
Cleanups typically last two to three hours and are available in morning and afternoon shifts. To register and to view available volunteer cleanup opportunities, click here.
Volunteers should be at least 12 years old. Each event can accommodate more than 50 volunteers per day. All necessary materials are provided, including trash bags, gloves, life jackets, water, sunscreen and bug spray.
Lunch will be provided to all volunteers between sessions. Individuals, families and groups are welcome. Volunteers should wear long pants, close-toed shoes and bring a reusable water bottle.
Additionally, the LL&W 2017 Ohio River Tour provides Educational River Workshops that seek to inspire high school students to gain a new appreciation for the nation’s rivers.
Each workshop will be held on “floating classroom” barge, providing hands-on interaction to river science, including biological magnification, macroinvertebrate identification, Mississippi River watershed activities and much more. (Please note, lunch is not included for workshops).
To register and to view available workshops, click here.
All events and programs are available on a first come, first served basis, and are free of charge.
Recreation Manager Rosie Santos stated, “Living Lands & Waters is an impressive organization doing important work across the country. The City is honored to host them and engage Covington residents in the effort to clean America’s waterways.”
Since 1998, Living Lands & Waters has worked with more than 100,000 volunteers to remove over nine million pounds of marine debris from America’s rivers.
Solid Waste Coordinator Sheila Fields stated, “LL&W founder Chad Pregrache and his dedicated crew make river cleanups super fun and adventurous. If you are passionate about protecting our waterways from pollution and preserving our natural resources, this is a cleanup you don't want to miss!”
In total, the LL&W’s 2017 Ohio River Tour runs from July through November, 2017 and covers over 15 locations along the Ohio River banks.
For more information regarding the Living Land & Water 2017 Ohio River Tour, visit http://livinglandsandwaters.org/what-to-expect/.
