Thanks to river cleanup volunteers

La Crosse’s waterways are much cleaner thanks to hundreds of volunteers. On Saturday, those concerned about pollution in the Mississippi and other rivers collected thousands of pounds of garbage. They took to boats while others walked the shoreline to pick up all the trash left behind. Many of them are avid boaters who use the river regularly, while others are those who appreciate the beauty of the river and want to do something to help keep it clean. They collected old barrels, needles, and plenty of assorted trash. Since the effort began, they have removed nearly three-quarter of a million pounds of trash from Trempealeau to Genoa. Volunteers have been doing this for 29 years, and WIZM is proud to partner with the River Cleanup group to prioritize the health of our waters. The Mississippi is one of America’s wonders, and living along its shores can sometimes be taken for granted. But as one volunteer put it, if you even gaze at the river’s beauty, you have some obligation to help keep it clean. That should start with making sure we don’t litter, and when camping on a sandbar or just floating aimlessly, always picking up after ourselves. That would  make the annual job of these volunteers a little easier.