By Philip Bair
Although we’ve recently had a number of heat waves accompanied by triple digit temperatures, our efforts to keep Coyote Creek trash-free have not faltered. July 22nd marked our cleanup at Kelley Park, right next to Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. Although it is unfortunate that the cleanup locations we return to seem to become saturated with trash again, it is evident that our restoration efforts have been making a difference in both local ecosystems as well as the flow of Coyote Creek.
One positive aspect of this month’s cleanup is that we were able to remove a lot of trash on the banks of the creek that had previously been underwater. Now that the water levels have receded since the catastrophic flooding, we’ve been able to get at large pockets of trash, both in and out of the water. One such pocket consisted of a floating body of around two-hundred toy balls of various sizes! From volleyballs to tennis balls and ping pong balls, all had managed to congregate in a giant pool along the creek. Without a doubt, we knew we had to hold onto them for their potential to be turned into some cool artwork!
Despite the heat, our cleanup saw dozens of volunteers coming out to help, in addition to teams of AmeriCorps workers completing service hours. I actually went around taking photographs and performing video interviews on topics regarding items people have found during the cleanup and what motivates them to come out to events, so keep an eye out for those in the near future!
Words cannot describe how much we appreciate both our new and returning volunteers as, without you, the progress we have made in restoring and revitalizing Coyote Creek would not be possible! We hope to see you at future cleanups and community events, so be sure to check those out on our website and RSVP if you are interested. We hope all of you enjoy the remainder of your summer, and remember to stay cool!