
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.