RiverSweep 2008 truly was a cleanup of "Biblical Proportions"! We stormed into our 19th year with a clear sense of momentum. 2007 saw major improvements and an expansion of areas, so as we planned for 2008, we set big goals and spent extra time and effort courting involvement from many volunteer groups, members of the business community and concerned citizens. Our goals were reached as we welcomed nearly 1000 volunteers! These volunteers were responsible for the removal of 891 illegally dumped tires and more than 18 tons of trash!

The weather was picture perfect for our volunteers who gathered in Cleveland neighborhoods such as Ohio City, Tremont, the Flats, Old Brooklyn, Stockyards, and Slavic Village as well as Parma. For the third straight year, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School had a strong showing with more than 250 kids working in Tremont and the Flats. They were joined by a growing student response from Cuyahoga Heights, Normandy, Laurel and St. Ignatius High Schools. Local Girl Scout Troops and alumni clubs also joined the cleanup effort. We even had a presence in the River as an avid kayaker, loaded up with garbage bags cleaned up the banks of the Cuyahoga from his kayak.

In 2008, Ohio Canal Corridor welcomed the sponsorship and participation of many corporate sponsors such as Ford Motor Company, Cargill Deicing, ArcelorMittal, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and Stein Companies. The great thing about our sponsors is that they do more than just write a check. They get dirty and they get involved. Each of these sponsors bring groups of employees and families to cleanup sites, help us serve lunch and even provide us with trucks and staff to shuttle tires to our pickup areas. This is a program that brings people together as they do something positive for our community and for the environment.

 

RiverSweep is Ohio Canal Corridor's annual, environmental awareness and clean-up initiative. The event partners multiple non-profit organizations with private companies to clean areas along the Cuyahoga River Valley and its tributaries. RiverSweep is a "done in a day" event where volunteers gather at one of seven designated areas. This year, we will be cleaning areas in the following neightborhoods: Tremont, Ohio City, The Flats, Slavic Village, Old Brooklyn, Clark Metro and Parma. Stay tuned for exact areas and meeting locations. There will be a luncheon and entertainment following the cleanup at the Plain Dealer Pavilion for all volunteers that will run from 12:00 - 2:00 (lunch will only be served until 1:00).

RiverSweep stands out as Ohio's most successful environmental clean-up with teams of environmentally aware volunteers, community groups, non-profit organizations, government agencies and corporate partners clearing the river valleys of debris. RiverSweep has established a tradition of cleaning areas where new parks and extended trails will be built one day.

Examples of the new parks include Ohio Canal Corridor's Hart Crane Park in the Flats, Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, Mill Creek Falls, and Washington Park Reservation. In process are the West Creek Greenway, Treadway Ravine in Cleveland, Walworth Run (Train Avenue), the extending Towpath Trail from lower Harvard Avenue through Tremont to Canal Basin Park in the northern Flats

For more information, call Tanya at 216-520-1825 or e-mail tstella@ohiocanal.org.

CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT

In 2007, Ohio Canal Corridor welcomed the sponsorship and participation of the largest group of Ohio Companies and businesses in its histroy. Ford Motor Company entered its fourth year of sponsoring this event. They contribute funding, people, supplies and even bring new prototypes hybrid cars to the celebratory lunch. Ford's invovement stems from personal involvement in the event from local Ford employees, including Dennis Turski.

It is yet another example of Ford's environmental interest in America's rivers. In Detroit, Ford is a leader in the Detroit American Heritage River program and has gone to great lengths in reclaiming their River Rouge Plant as a national model of brownfield remediation and sustainable redevelopment. Visit Ford's website to learn more. We thank Ford Motor Company and the many other businesses and organizations who recognize the importance of creating and sustaining our linear heritage greenway (Ohio & Erie Canalway) that is developing in NE Ohio. With their help and support, RiverSweep and the Ohio & Erie Canalway benefit.

The employees from Cargill have been involved with RiverSweep for the past 4 years by cleaning the area in the Flats and being the official Flats site sponsor. For the second straight year, the Cargill Cares Council chose RiverSweep as a beneficiary of a corporate sponsorship.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District also came aboard in 2007 as a presenting sponsor and site leader. It may seem obvious - their interest in an effort to help water quality like RiverSweep; yet, they brought more than funding to our operation. They brought voulunteers and management skills as they took control and managed the cleanup along Mill Creek and the Falls, inviting other companies to join them.

To these and all the others companies and sponsors and volunteers, we thank you for helping us on another banner year.

For companies and organizations interested in the 2008 RiverSweep sponsorship opportunities or other events, call Tanya at 216-520-1825.

ABOUT THE FROGS

Early on, Ohio Canal Corridor sought a logo that would fit the cleanup program, RiverSweep. Artist Tom Yurcich gave us that image - 2 frogs dancing on a lilly pad - hoisting crowns. The tag line we used in those early days was "First we clean it. Then, we crown it!" Frogs were chosen as they play a role in judging healthy eco-systems. Their presence is a positive sign. We retain that original image as our logo, but decided in our 15th year to add more color and imagery. This led us to our current marketing solution - to add art into our formula. To idnetify a recognizable piece of art and "frogisize" it. We began with "Mona Leapa", followed with "The Scream" and in 2007 - "Amphibian Gothic." We recognize the talents of George Coghill for these recent contributions.