BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - April 2, 2009 - What:  The third annual Cahaba River cleanup is Saturday, April 11. Volunteers will meet at the Piper Bridge boat ramp at 8 a.m. to remove trash, tires and discarded items from the lake. The cleanup will end with a hotdog lunch just before noon.

Renew Our Rivers is being coordinated by the Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. In 2008, 55 volunteers collected 5.7 tons of trash and debris from the Cahaba River.

Overview:  Renew Our Rivers, the Southeast’s largest river cleanup campaign,
has collected nearly 10 million pounds of trash and debris from Alabama and Southeastern rivers since its inception in 2000. 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 Piper Bridge boat ramp
From Birmingham, take Interstate 20/59 toward Tuscaloosa. Turn right at Exit 97 and then left onto Highway 11. At the flashing light, turn left onto Highway 5. Travel 9 miles and take the second West Blocton exit at the flashing light onto Blocton Bypass/Cahaba River Road/County Road 24.  Travel 5 miles to the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

Or take Interstate 65 South toward Calera. Take the first Calera exit onto Highway 31 South, then turn right onto Highway 25 South and travel approximately 19 miles. Take a right onto County Road 65/Bulldog Bend Road and travel approximately 4 to 5 miles. At the stop sign, turn left onto County Road 24.  Travel approximately two miles until the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

Contact: Paula Fancher of the Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge at grits21@netzero.com or cahabafriends@gmail.com.

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