Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/1194015
Jim Eason leads cleanup efforts on the Winston County side of Smith Lake. He said the team effort is rewarding. "I'm proud of the people I work with," Eason said. "It's sometimes daunting to see all the trash out there just a year or two aer you cleaned it up, but they keep coming back and we keep picking up and cleaning." Phifer says he hopes the next 20 years will be even more fruitful. "I hope it's continuing on the same pace 20 years from now," Phifer said. "I hope the educational component grows as fast as the other part does. I think that's the part that we need to focus on going forward." is year ended with some of the largest cleanups to date. One of those was on Lake Demopolis Oct. 4-5, which drew a record crowd. "We had an excellent turnout this year and we are so excited to see Renew Our Rivers continue to grow in our community," said organizer Jesse Johnson. More than 100 volunteers worked in Demopolis to remove almost 25,000 pounds of debris from the lake and surrounding areas. "is is truly such a community effort. We couldn't continue to make such a difference without the continuous support from our partners and volunteers," Johnson said. e final cleanup of 2019 was held the first weekend of November on Lake Martin. Despite chilly conditions, more than 220 volunteers turned out to help. Many of those were students, including Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, third and fourth graders from Stephens Elementary School and student-athletes, clubs and organizations from Central Alabama Community College. Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA) president John ompson said 650 large bags of trash were removed from the shoreline as well as 300-plus bags of litter from adjacent roadways. "is is the 15th LMRA Renew Our Rivers and each year the participation has grown and the results have increased," ompson said. "Lake Martin is without a doubt the cleanest lake in the South, and with the continued help from all these committed, dedicated volunteers, we will be able to keep it that way." For a full calendar of 2020 cleanups and how you can get involved, visit alabamapower.com/renewourrivers. 26 | 2019 Vol: 4