Getting kids involved with Virginia Waterways Cleanup

Saturday was overcast and slightly chilly, but that didn’t discourage plenty of families and children to support the Virginia Waterways Cleanup at Brown’s Island with James River Association. There were about 50 children from Lucille Brown Middle School, and they took to the banks of the James west of Tredegar Beach toward Belle Isle. The […]

September 18, 2011; 6:36 AM • by Phil Riggan

Saturday was overcast and slightly chilly, but that didn’t discourage plenty of families and children to support the Virginia Waterways Cleanup at Brown’s Island with James River Association.

There were about 50 children from Lucille Brown Middle School, and they took to the banks of the James west of Tredegar Beach toward Belle Isle. The remainder of the volunteers – some with Trinity Methodist Church (like me and my kids) — headed east to Brown’s Island and eventually down the trail to Pipeline Rapids.

It is so fun to watch children get excited about nature and cleaning our environment. Finding litter is like a treasure hunt to little kids and of course, that section of the river always has something that needs to be cleaned up. The enthusiasm is encouraging, and their minds are sponges. Picking up trash and learning about ecology, history, toughness — challenging them to be better, stronger, smarter and more responsible.

At one point, we found plenty of trash hidden in the potholes of large rocks at Pipeline, and the kids were determined to get the bottles, cans and whatever else was caked in wet mud down in those holes. We batted the stink of nature, and snagged some good little treasure.

The Brown’s Island group collected about 40 bags of recycling and trash, which will help get the island spruced up for the Richmond Folk Festival, the fantastic annual event that is just three weeks away.

September 18, 2011 6:36 AM 0