Volunteers set to clean Valley Creek Aug. 22

What: The 5th annual Renew Our Rivers Valley Creek cleanup is Saturday, Aug. 22. Volunteers should report at 8 a.m. to one of the following collection sites: McNeil Park in Bessemer, Five Points West Birmingham Public Library or B.Y. Williams Sr. Drive in Midfield. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes. Minors must have a chaperone to participate. The cleanup will finish at noon.

This Renew Our Rivers cleanup is coordinated by the municipalities throughout the watershed with help from Jefferson County Storm Water Management Authority, Jefferson County Department of Health’s Watershed Protection Division, Freshwater Land Trust and a coalition of local citizens and businesses. The cities involved include Birmingham, Midfield, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Hueytown, Brighton, Lipscomb and Bessemer.

Overview: Volunteers for Renew Our Rivers, one of the Southeast’s largest river cleanup campaigns, have collected nearly 14 million pounds of trash and debris since the program’s inception in 2000. This year, 31 cleanups are planned through November on the Alabama, Black Warrior, Cahaba, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Mobile and Tallapoosa rivers.

To learn more about volunteer efforts, visit our website, http://renewourrivers.com.

Directions: Location 1: McNeil Park, 1931 13th Street North, Bessemer. Location 2: Five Points West Birmingham Public Library: 4812 Avenue west, Birmingham. Location 3: Vacant lot next to Freewill Church of God in Christ: B.Y. Williams Sr. Drive, Midfield.

Volunteer Contact: Visit www.jcdh.org/wpd for more information