Hinkson Clean Sweep seeks volunteers to help clean up litter around Columbia's Hinkson Creek from 10 a.m to noon on Oct. 17.
COLUMBIA – Grab your grubby clothes and work boots.
The sixth annual Hinkson Clean Sweep, a citywide stream cleanup, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 17 along Hinkson Creek. The cleanup is a sister project to the spring Cleanup Columbia event.
Last year, 180 volunteers spent 361 hours pulling street signs, grocery carts and the occasional salvageable treasure from the creek, said Scott Dye, the national director of the Sierra Club's Water Sentinels program.
Dye has been involved with the Clean Sweep all six years. He said the project is one of the few ways the stream is cleaned.
“Anything in storm runoff, or any trash on the streets, runs directly into the creek," Dye said. " People are mistaken when they think that storm runoff water gets treated at a water treatment plant."
Volunteer sites include the Hinkson Creek Valley neighborhood, Flat Branch Tributary, Walnut Street bridge, Bear Creek at Big Bear Boulevard and Capen Park. Gloves and garbage bags will be provided for participants.
“We try to accommodate the volunteers with the site they want," Columbia Volunteer Services coordinator Leigh Britt said. "Most volunteers will sign up to work at a site based on where they live and stay close to their own neighborhood while other volunteers may be restricted by transportation and want to volunteer at a site they can walk to."
Volunteers can register at gocolumbiamo.com. The deadline to register is Oct. 8.