BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - April 6, 2009 - What: The third annual Smith Lake cleanup is Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17. Volunteers with boats will meet each day at Yellow Creek Resort from 8 a.m. to noon.  The cleanup will target Styrofoam and abandoned piers. This Renew Our Rivers cleanup is coordinated by Smith Lake Advocacy.

Overview: Renew Our Rivers, the Southeast’s largest river cleanup campaign,
has collected nearly 10 million pounds of trash and debris from Alabama and Southeast rivers since its inception in 2000. Last year, 40 volunteers collected 134.6 tons of trash and debris from Smith Lake.

Twenty-three cleanups are planned through October. Cleanups are held on the Cahaba, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Black Warrior and Mobile rivers in Alabama.

Directions: Directions to Yellow Creek Resort
From Birmingham or Huntsville take Interstate 65 to exit 308 toward Cullman/Double Springs. Turn right on 4th Street SW/U.S. 278/ W-AL 74. Continue to follow U.S. 278/W-AL74. Then turn slight left on CR-63 in Houston. From Houston, take County Road 61 until it dead ends at Yellow Creek Resort.     

Contact: Laverne Matheson 256-747-4422 or Tom Grubbs 205-489-3422 of Smith Lake Advocacy Inc.

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Media contact: Keisa Sharpe 205-257-4155, ksharpe@southernco.com