AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A cleanup event took place today at Phinizy Swamp.

Phinizy Swamp’s Rivers Alive cleanup team and volunteers work together to protect Georgia waterways and keep one of our most precious resources clean. 

“Rivers Alive is a statewide volunteer cleanup of our waterways. It’s run through the education component of EPD,” said Ruth Mead, Adult Education Facilitator at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. “There’s only a few people who work there, but it’s organized by a lot of volunteers to have cleanups across the state.”

Suzy Delong is part of a women’s hiking organization that volunteers in a cleanup once a month. The group always makes sure to do Rivers Alive when it is held.

“This park, unfortunately, gets abused by a lot of people. We’ve seen gender reveal confetti and lots of like food containers,” said Suzy Delong, Volunteer with Hiker Babes. “Unfortunately, a ton of fishing lines. So, this park, more than some of the others, needs a little more TLC.”

Teresa Mcveigh enjoys spending time at Phinizy Swamp and wants to see it stay clean.

“I like to keep the environment clean. I like to help out. I like Phinizy, and I want Phinizy to be a beautiful place,” said Teresa Mcveigh, a volunteer.

Ruth Sapp thinks that being a part of the cleanup is a good time for families to be together and helps encourage others.

“Cleaning it up makes you feel good when you come out here. You’re not going ‘Oh look at the trash,’” said Ruth Sapp, volunteer. “You just pick It up and take it on with you and put it in the can. Eventually, people learn because they see you do it.”

There are other cleanup events if you would like to participate. You can find that on Phinizy Swamp Nature Park’s website.