Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/292122
D 8 renew Our rivers DAYBREAK AT BEESWAX LANDING ON Jan. 18 was a run-of-the-mill winter morning at Lay Lake. e rising sun sublimely transferred its golden hue from the sky to the lake's surface, creat- ing a misty haze hovering above the waterline and warming frost left by below-freezing temperatures the night before. Uncharacteristic of this striking sunrise, the serenity of dawn was broken by the muffled communication of high school anglers wrapped against the chill loading their boats for their first tournament of the season – one that would prove unusual. Instead of racing the sun in hopes of hooking a fish worthy of a tall tale, more than 30 students from four schools across the state were braving the elements in hopes of stuffing the most trash bags emblazoned with the renew Our rivers logo to win top prize at the first Cleanup Classic. "ese high school teams are used to being out on the lake early to compete," said Kay Donaldson, program director for the Alabama Bass Trail. "Today, instead of competing for the most fish, they are competing to pick up the most trash. It is a great way to get them involved with the renew Our rivers program." e first of more than 30 cleanups in 2014, the Cleanup Classic kicked off renew Our river's 15th year by removing more than 5,000 pounds of trash from Lay Lake. Since renew Our rivers began in 2000, more than 56,000 volunteers have collected more than 13 million pounds of trash and debris from waterways across the Southeast. "renew Our rivers began with one Alabama Power employee who had a vision to improve the health and beauty of the Coosa river near Plant Gadsden, where he worked," said Matt Bowden, vice president of Environmental Affairs at Alabama Power. "As we celebrate the 15th year of this grassroots effort, we hope to engage the next generation in steward- ship of our lakes and rivers." rough partnering on the Cleanup Classic, Alabama Power and the Alabama Bass Trail are providing high school anglers volunteer opportunities in 2014. By participating in the 16 cleanups scheduled on Alabama Bass Trail waterways, students can collect conservation hours required to qualify for grants from the Bass Trail's Service Hours Grant Program. S T O R Y B Y B R A N D O N G L O V E R P H O T O S B Y B I L L S N O W High school students pick up debris on Lay Lake. The first of more than 30 cleanups in 2014, the Cleanup Classic kicked off Renew Our River's 15th year.