Volunteers Needed: Splash Against Trash One Month Away
Columbia, SC (August, 21 2019) – PalmettoPride and event co-hosts Keep the Midlands Beautiful and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Lake Murray are asking for volunteers to participate in Splash Against Trash, a litter cleanup event at Lake Murray on Saturday, September 21, 2019.
The “Jewel of South Carolina” is a major recreation destination, which leads to trash littering the islands, shoreline and bottom of the lake. This marine debris has become an increasing concern for not just boater safety, but wildlife and human health as well.
“Through the years, many volunteers have worked to pick up litter around Lake Murray,” said Scott Morgan, Enforcement Program Manager for PalmettoPride. “We were even more excited when the support for this cleanup event became a three county operation that encompasses all of Lake Murray.”
The Splash Against Trash cleanup will be the first multi-county cleanup effort at the lake with three convenient check-in locations starting at 9:00 a.m. Volunteers can meet at any of the three check-in locations. Check-in begins 8:30 a.m., followed by the 9:00 a.m. event kickoff ending at noon. Volunteers of all ages are welcomed and invited to participate in the event. Check-in locations are as follows:
- Newberry County – Dreher Island State Park, 3677 State Park Rd, Prosperity, SC 29127
- Richland County – Liberty Tap Room on the Lake, 1602 Marina Rd, Irmo, SC 29063
- Lexington County – South Shore Marina, 3072 US-378, Leesville, SC 29070
The event will be coordinated with the help of Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Newberry County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Solid Waste, Lexington County Solid Waste, Dreher Island State Park, Liberty on the Lake, Charlie’s Fisherman’s Wharf, South Shore Marina, Hudson Brothers, Lake Murray Marina, America’s Boating Club Lake Murray and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Region 3.
“Lake Murray is one of our most beautiful assets and we want to keep it that way, so Lexington County’s Solid Waste Management department is very excited to be helping PalmettoPride with the Splash Against Trash cleanup event,” said Traude Sanders, Recycling Coordinator of Lexington County Dept. of Solid Waste Management. “Keeping our communities litter-free is of the utmost importance.”
Cleanup supplies will be provided the morning of the event or can be picked up early at the Keep the Midlands Beautiful office located in West Columbia. After the cleanup, volunteers will bring the trash collected back to their check-in location for disposal.
“It’s the little things that you do that you don’t have to do that will determine the difference when it’s too late to do something about it. Caring about our environment our lakes and our rivers is a little thing but it’s a big thing when it’s too late to do something about it,” said Darrell Hudson, Lexington County Councilmember, District 3.
For more information about the cleanup or ways to get involved, please visit PalmettoPride.org or contact Scott Morgan at smorgan@palmettopride.org.
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PalmettoPride is working towards a litter-free South Carolina. Created as a legislative initiative to fight litter and help beautify South Carolina by engaging citizens to take action in their communities through education, enforcement, awareness and pickup.