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Nearly 25 volunteers came out over the weekend to participate in National River Cleanup Day. What was supposed to be a two-hour event ended up lasting all day.

“It was people of all ages who came out to join us,” said Katie McCullough, executive curator of the North Carolina Estuarium. “The first group that went out in the morning focused on Castle Island. The second group in the afternoon worked the shoreline opposite the Washington waterfront. It turned out to be a very productive day, as a lot of trash was collected and everyone seemed to have a good time.”

Judy Hills, with the NC Coastal & Piedmont Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, came up with the idea. The North Carolina Estuarium, Sound Rivers, River Vibes, and Royal Rangers all joined forces to help organize the event. Members of the Antique & Classic Boat Society were out in some of their boats, allowing kayakers to paddle up to them and hand off the trash. Sound Rivers coordinated the disposal of the trash. River Vibes provided free kayaks to those who did not have one.

“I thought it all went great for our first go-around, and those who participated were already asking if we were going to do it again next year,” said McCullough. “So right now our plan is to make this an annual event. But if the enthusiasm continues to grow, we certainly will look at the possibility of adding more events in the future.”