27th Annual Great Mississippi Riverboat Cleanup Success: Conservation Corps Minnesota engaged 111 volunteers this Tuesday, 9/18/18 to remove over 2 tons of trash from the Mississippi River

For Immediate Release
Conservation Corps MN & IA Communications
www.conservationcorps.org

Contact:
Melissa Cuff
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
651-209-9900, ext. 26
melissa.cuff@conservationcorps.org

27th Annual Great Mississippi Riverboat Cleanup Success: Conservation Corps Minnesota engaged 111 volunteers this Tuesday, 9/18/18 to remove over 2 tons of trash from the Mississippi River

City of Saint Paul, MN., August 19, 2018 – Conservation Corps Minnesota’s 27th Annual Great Mississippi Riverboat Cleanup, held on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, mobilized 111 volunteers to remove 2.08 tons (4,160 pounds) of trash from Mississippi River shoreline areas near Pig’s Eye Island. The volunteers found many sizable items such as a broken house boat, a 350-pound tractor tire as well as 25 vehicle tires. Also, many smaller items were removed that would otherwise harm wildlife habitat including hundreds of plastic bottles, straws, Styrofoam waste, and other plastics.

The event began at 8:30am with a short program on the Jonathan Padelford Riverboat. The Mayor of South Saint Paul James Francis thanked the volunteers and wished them well by sharing, “We are grateful for your participation today and for your employer’s support in making this possible.”

Volunteers expressed their appreciation. Neil Hall of Van Wagenen Financial Services shared, “Thank you for such a cool and meaningful event yesterday on the river. I love what Conservation Corps does and appreciated being part of the Riverboat Cleanup effort. Keep up the magnificent work you all do!” Paul Nordell, Minnesota DNR retiree and volunteer, commented, “I’m grateful to Conservation Corps for continuing the Riverboat Cleanup, the annual tradition started by the DNR in 1992. This volunteer led event brings people to remote areas of the river where trash routinely accumulates. Over the years, thousands of volunteers have improved the health of our great river.”

Conservation Corps partnered with 10 local employers that provided important resources for the Riverboat Cleanup. These included Wells Fargo, Boston Scientific, Highland Bank, Van Wagenen Financial Services, Timberland, Thompson Reuters, SAP Success Factors, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Refuge Friends, Inc., and Art Start. These employers encouraged employee registrations and provided a paid work day for their employees who volunteered. Volunteers of Friends of Upper Landing Park, located on Shepard Road near downtown Saint Paul, also participated.

Sponsors were the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and Boston Scientific Foundation. Padelford Riverboats provided transportation and lunch. Upper River Services provided dumpster delivery. Tennis Sanitation provided use of a dumpster. Living Lands and Waters donated t-shirts and gloves. Cub Foods donated cookies. National Parks Service and Minnesota DNR provided shuttle boats. Local organizations contributed door prizes: Park Square Theatre, Science Museum of MN, Timberland, and Art Start.

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About Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa provides hands-on environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities for youth and young adults while accomplishing conservation, natural resource management and emergency response work throughout Minnesota, Iowa and surrounding states. www.conservationcorps.org

About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency for volunteering and service. Each year, more than 80,000 men and women serve at more than 20,000 schools, nonprofits, and faith-based groups, joining the more than 1 million Americans who’ve taken the pledge to ‘get things done’ since the program’s inception in 1994. www.nationalservice.gov