05/28/2021
Hey peeps! It's watershed clean up time again so I'm posting details here and wondering if anyone has the energy to organize this. I'd love to do it again with Earth Church Staunton!
We are now seeking cleanup volunteers for our local participation in this year’s “2021 Clean the Bay Day Week”, sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
WHAT: Shenandoah Green, Friends of the Middle River, the Lewis Creek Watershed Advisory Committee, Altenergy, Inc., JMU Valley Scholars and the City of Staunton are joining together to create a pool of volunteers that will form four litter cleanup teams. These four sub-teams combined will comprise the Staunton Team of the Clean the Bay Day Week.
WHEN: a variety of times, June 2nd, 3rd and 5th, 2021.
WHO: Each cleanup team will be comprised of
A team Leader/Coordinator (these slots are already filled)
Scribes (total of 14 needed)
Trash Picker-Uppers – volunteers from all groups, including FOMR, SG, LCWAC, Altenergy, JMU Valley Scholars, City of Staunton
Read these role descriptions further down
WHERE: We have four (4) streamside cleanup locations to clean in Staunton:
Lewis Creek, near VSDB
New Hope Rd. along Lewis Creek
Asylum Creek, near Bessie Weller School
Gum Spring Branch in Gypsy Hill Park
ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
Leader/Coordinators will contact volunteers who sign up for their team with exact meeting locations. They will have supplies for their team and collect everything back in the end. Take team photos.
Scribe Responsibilities
Wear sturdy shoes, bring facemask and hand sanitizer, consider using tick repellent
Meet at the time, date and location you sign up for
Take attendance of team members present
Using a clipboard, pen and paper, tally the trash collected using a form we provide. You will work with approximately 3-4 trash collectors and they will tell you what they collect as they pick it up and you will notate it
Turn your forms in to your team leader at the end
Participate in team photo!
Trash Picker-Upper Responsibilities:
Wear sturdy shoes, bring facemask and hand sanitizer, consider using tick repellent
Meet at the time, date and location you sign up for
Get supplies from your team leader
Pickup and place trash in the bags, but separate out recyclable materials
Turn in completed tally sheets, grabbers, vests, gloves
Participate in team photo!
TO SIGN-UP
You need to sign up in two places (sorry????)
SIGN-UP HERE. https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10c0c45a5ab23aaf5c70... At this form you will have a choice of date/location and as well as which role you prefer, Scribe or Trash Picker-Upper
2. Then also REGISTER HERE. https://secure.cbf.org/site/TR/CleantheBayDay/General...
Click blue button Join Team on the right
Click green button Join the Movement
Scroll down past the money stuff
Click No Additional Gift and Next Step (unless you really want to donate to CBF right now)
Fill out and your registration info (name, address, email, etc.). Unclick the buttons at the bottom if you want to
Make a Username -- no spaces or odd characters
Make a password
Click Litter Cleanup and other following questions
Click Next Step
Click the box for the Waiver
Complete Registration
Access Your Participation Center (yellow button)
WE PROVIDE:
trash bags
grabbers
gloves (unless you opt to use your own)
high-visibility vest if working along a road (limited quantities)
trash tally sheet, pencils, clipboards: these tally sheets are incorporated with a national database to track trash collection
SAFETY:
Be mindful of risks associated with cleanups and take preventative measures:
WEAR mask, gloves, closed-toe shoes, long-sleeved shirts, hats. Use sunscreen, bug spray and safety vests if near roads. It is tick season.
Stay aware of and careful of traffic. When you are cleaning up near a roadway, wear high visibility clothing
Be careful or avoid touching trash that could injure you. Wear cut-resistant gloves or use grabbers
AVOID bees, wasps, snakes and similar animals.
Bring any needed medicine.
USE COMMON SENSE. Take breaks. Drink plenty of fluids. Do not overfill bags.
COVID-19 management:
As a participant you agree to adhere to all current Virginia COVID-19 guidelines as listed at virginia.gov/coronavirus/
Bring and wear face mask if you are within 6 feet of others
Maintain 6-foot distance between all parties not a part of your domicile
Do not share equipment or apparel with parties not a part of your domicile
Wipe grabbers (if used) with sanitizer after use and before returning to the team leader
Wash hands thoroughly and use hand sanitizer after handling trash
Note that the CDC guidelines listed above are changing quickly and are subject to change; please follow current guidelines
Thank you for volunteering to clean up our local streams, BEFORE trash gets to the Chesapeake Bay!
Kate Guenther
Watershed Administrator FOMR
540-609-8267
All Virginians must continue to comply with the statewide face covering requirement, and Virginians are strongly encouraged to:
