Volunteers Will Gather Saturday to Remove Trash from Yakima River Area

October 2, 2009

Ellensburg, Wash. — The Yakima River is about to get a facelift thanks to more than 230 volunteers who will spend the day removing trash from the area.

It’s the 39th year volunteers from Central Washington University and the surrounding community have gotten together for the cleanup.

“We collect between two and three tons of trash and recyclables each year in just a couple of hours,” says Shiloh Frauen, a service-learning fellow at the CWU Don and Verna Civic Engagement Center. “The trash is collected in three different drop areas ranging from Ringer Loop and the Umptanum campground through to Highway 10.”

The cleanup is a CWU tradition that allows students to come together and it gives first-year students a chance to get involved, learn more about the Ellensburg area and meet other students.

“We hope to inspire pride and respect for our community and the natural resources that the Yakima River offers,” Frauen says. “Each year we register and mobilize more than 200 campus and community volunteers.”

The 230 expected to help this year includes 30 who will clean up while rafting the river. The cleanup runs from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Those who have already signed up have a reserved spot on the bus, but others can show up on the day of the cleanup. Go to the east patio of the Student Union and Recreation Center for instructions.

Media contacts: Shiloh Frauen, Civic Engagement Center, 509-963-1643, takeaction@cwu.edu

Liz Bryson, Public Relations and Marketing, 509-963-2714, brysone@cwu.edu

Central Washington University is a master's degree-granting institution with approximately 10,000 students and 1,500 faculty and staff. More than 160 undergraduate and master's degrees are offered. Founded in 1891, the Ellensburg campus is located in the heart of Washington State, nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. Since 1975, CWU has served the needs of placebound students at six university centers throughout the state. CWU is an AA/EEO Title IX Institution.