NEWS RELEASE  [ Lets clean up after ourselves every time ]

National River Cleanup Week       During the 1997 effort, a record-breaking 38,265 volunteers participated in over 501 cleanups of shorelines and rivers. Federal partners, including the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation, joined forces with outfitters, local clubs, service organizations and other groups during National River Cleanup Week ‘97 to clean over 8,506 total miles of shoreline. Since its inception in 1992, over 215,000 volunteers have participated in 3,156 cleanups covering 55,306 miles of American waterways. “The purpose of National River Cleanup Week is to demonstrate the importance of clean waterways and to encourage constituencies to preserve a community’s streams, rivers and lakes,” said David Brown, Executive Director of America Outdoors and National Coordinator of the event. “A cleanup creates an alliance between public and private groups that becomes a source of positive community action for restoration of compromised waterways,” according to Rebecca Wodder, President of American Rivers and Co-coordinator of the ‘97 event. Anyone interested in organizing a cleanup effort in their area is encouraged to call for a registration form from America Outdoors at 423-558-3595 or register online at www.americaoutdoors.org/nrcw   Registering for a cleanup is free. Cleanups registered prior to April 1, and conducted during the official week, are eligible for receive free trash bags, cleanup kits and safety tips. A video, Organizing a Successful River Cleanup, is also available for $10.95 with all proceeds benefiting National River Cleanup Week. America Outdoors is a national association of professional outfitters and serves as national coordinator of National River Cleanup Week. American Rivers is the nation’s leading river conservation organization and served as the national co-coordinator of the event.