Everyone was in great spirits as they descended on Old Mill Park on Sunday October 7th for our annual Big Fall Cleanup. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or volunteers. Everyone was excited to do a little hard work and have a good time.
Over 230 volunteers came out to clean along the Rappahannock River. Big Fall Cleanup volunteers were made up of families, community members, and 12 groups from local schools, organizations, and businesses. Volunteers were broken off into 9 teams sent out into Fredericksburg to conquer the task of cleaning up the river. Clean up sites included Falmouth Beach, the Canal Path, and Old Mill Park.
Two hours later, our hardworking – and hungry! – volunteers returned to Old Mill Park for a delicious lunch catered by Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Everyone came together under the pavilion to feast and celebrate all of their hard work. And Big Fall Cleanup volunteers certainly earned the right to celebrate! They collected 3,500 pounds of trash and made a huge impact in the community.
Thank you to Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce and AmeriCorps for helping to make Big Fall Cleanup such a great success. And, thank you to the following partners for their generous donations and volunteer time:
Donors and Contributors:
Benny Vitali’s
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Goodwill
AmeriCorps
R-Board
Wegmans
Rappahannock Electric Co-op
Clean Virginia Waterways
American Rivers
City of Fredericksburg
Sugar Shack
Starbucks
Giant
Geico
Cleanup Crews:
Colonial Forge High School
St. Michael’s School
Cub Scout Pack 840
Office on Youth
Girl Scout Troop 468
UMW Community Outreach and Resources
UMW Eco-Villages Green Living Communities
Boy Scout Troop 21
Fredericksburg Academy
Rappahannock Electric Co-Op
The Scuba Shack
River Rock Outfitter
By Sarah Jordan, FOR Restoration Intern (UMW Class of 2019)