Occoquan clean up nets over a ton of trash

A Saturday brought out 225 volunteers to go out on boats and along the shore of the Occoquan River to pick up trash at four designated parks, marinas, and the Town of Occoquan.
Because of their efforts, the Occoquan River was relieved of 1.6 tons of waste, including 20 bags of recyclables, six tires, snowboards, baby carriage, trashcans, oil barrel, gasoline cans, carpet foam pieces, blinds, rusted iron pieces and miscellaneous items.

Many volunteers helped with the cleanup, including parents who brought their children, and groups such as SEV1 Tech, American Water Company, the Bull Run Rotary, the Optimist Club, the Quantico Yacht Club, Boy Scout Troop 1369, environmental studies students from George Mason University, students from Hylton and Osborn Park high, and students from Benton Middle School schools in Prince William County, and students from Osbourn High School in Manassas.

Other volunteers included and Trash Trek from Penn Elementary School, and the JROTC cadets from Forest Park High and Woodbridge senior high schools in Prince William County.

Duane DeBruyne and the Lake Braddock Crew provided a boat while Jim Martin, Cal Lud and Priit Vesilind provided a pontoon boat, and Penguin Paddle provided kayaks.

Helga Perrin demonstrated an environmental display on conservation and stewardship of the environment and the importance of wetlands at the Lake Ridge Marina. Kimm Barry, Kirstyn Barr Jovanovich, Sonia Monson, Linda Murray and Alex & Renate Vanegas, including Cathy Tarr and Beverly Proctor manned the sign-in stations at the four marinas and the Town of Occoquan, and the various park managers provided boats, their time and the disposal of the collected trash.