The Otsego County Conservation Association and the Lions Club of Cooperstown are calling on community members of all ages to join the eighth annual Susquehanna River Cleanup, taking place Saturday, July 12 at the Cooperstown area docks near Lake Front Park.
What began in 2018 as a one-day effort led by Cooperstown’s John Rowley and the Lions Club has grown into a multi-day, multi-location initiative, according to a news release. Now involving civic groups, environmental organizations and local residents, the cleanup aims to restore and protect the Upper Susquehanna River.
This year’s event is coordinated by OCCA in partnership with the Cooperstown Lions Club, Cooperstown Rotary, SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Dive Team and Trout Unlimited’s Dave Brandt Chapter. Residents and community groups in Milford, Portlandville and Colliersville also are encouraged to participate, the release stated.
Thanks to a grant from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, volunteers will be provided with snacks, supplies and coverage of disposal costs for collected materials.
How to help
The Cooperstown cleanup runs from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 12. Volunteers should park in the Bassett lot behind Bassett Hall on Susquehanna Street, across from Walnut Street. The gate opens at 7:45 a.m., and shuttles will transport volunteers to the Fish Road Boat Launch on Otsego Lake.
Otsego Lake is the source of the Susquehanna River, and this year’s focus on cleaning its southern shore will help prevent debris from entering the river and floating downstream.
Volunteers are needed both on land and in the water. Tasks include assisting the BFS Dive Team in removing trash near the docks, guiding debris-laden rafts and kayaks back to the collection point, shoreline cleanup, loading and transporting debris to the transfer station, helping with the refreshment table and photo documentation.
“This is an event that makes everyone feel good,” said John Rowley, who helped launch the cleanup effort eight years ago. “There’s great collaboration among community organizations. You’ll meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and feel proud of the work you’re doing. In all these years, I’ve never heard anyone say they regretted participating.”
During the past seven years, volunteers have removed more than 100 tires, dozens of 55-gallon drums, a trailer frame, several hot water heaters, metal scraps, plastic debris and hundreds of bottles and cans — making a clear and measurable impact.
“We’re excited to grow this amazing program,” said Amy Wyant, executive director of OCCA. “We’re not only cleaning up a vital waterway for Otsego County, but contributing to a larger effort. The Susquehanna River is the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay, so what we do here makes an impact far beyond Otsego County.”
Later this summer, once water levels drop, Trout Unlimited’s Dave Brandt Chapter will organize an additional cleanup between Colliersville and Fortin Park in Oneonta. OCCA also encouraged residents in Milford, Portlandville and Colliersville to coordinate satellite cleanups in their areas.
How to sign up
To volunteer in Cooperstown, sign up at www.occainfo.org/riversignup, or email volunteer@occainfo.org including a reliable phone number and email address.
For questions or to organize or join a cleanup in another town, contact Kendall Jacob at volunteer@occainfo.org or call 607-375-7280.