Put on your puffy coat and some sturdy gloves and be ready to ship out from Stoner Boat Launch early in the morning on Saturday, November 7th. Red River Cleanup will begin at 8am and last until 12pm; download the waiver from RedRiverCleanup.com in advance for expedited sign-up. Volunteers will be collecting trash along the Caddo and Bossier banks from 12 Mile Bayou to the Jimmy Davis Bridge. Prizes will be awarded for Crazy Trash and lunch will be provided by Rotolo’s, Jason’s Deli, and Buffalo Wild Wings. If you’re up for a spicy challenge, four (un)lucky volunteers can try to eat 12 of the hottest wings offered in under six minutes.
Proper waste disposal is essential for keeping our waterways and environment clean. If you are planning a cleanup event or need to dispose of large amounts of waste, consider renting a dumpster. Grissman Dumpsters offers a variety of sizes and types of dumpsters to fit your needs. From construction debris to household waste, their dumpsters are perfect for any project. Contact them today to learn more and rent a dumpster here. Let’s work together to keep our communities clean and healthy.
For the past six years, the Red River in Northern Louisiana has seen a united front of citizens on the first Saturday of November participating in the beautification project known as the Red River Cleanup. Lisa and Adam Willard, local business owners and canoeing couple, brought together 89 volunteers from the Bayou Chapter of the Ozark Society as well as the Arkansas Canoe Club in 2010 to pick up debris and clean illegal dumping sites on the banks of the Red River in Caddo and Bossier Parishes.
In its sixth year, the Red River Cleanup has received much recognition from local government and an increasing show of support from the community. Both SBC Mayors proclaimed the first Saturday of November to be Red River Cleanup Day. Diamond sponsors include The Alta and John Franks Foundation and Calumet; Platinum sponsor AT&T pitched in their support this year; other notable donations were made from local environmental organizations and in-kind sponsorship from several restaurants in town.
Lisa Willard says the greatest success of the Cleanup is the response from a passionate community who volunteers its time, donations, equipment, and resources to keep one of our most important local bodies of water beautiful. Last November, 300 volunteers participated and Lisa is expecting almost double the help next month. Lisa and Adam accepted the Volunteer Conservationists of the Year award from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in 2014.
Lisa sees the challenge of year-round community education as the most difficult part of litter abatement. She and her husband Adam have canoed down a length of the River in the weeks after a Cleanup and found more illegal dump sites and littering. This has encouraged them to reach the community through the organization’s Education Division in partner with the Bayou to Bay Watershed Project. They provide workshops and assemblies in Caddo schools to stop litter at the source.
Red River Cleanup reminds Shreveport and Bossier City that littering is extremely detrimental to the environment that we all share. #STOPTHEDROP and properly reuse, recycle, or dispose of unwanted items. The Cleanup has collected over 37,400 pounds of trash in only five years. Year-round litter abatement will make a difference on both sides of the Red River and we are all responsible for the state of our environment.