“It’s incredible how hard these volunteers work throughout the three-hour event, and we are so grateful to each and every one of them for generously donating their time to try to reverse the impacts of people littering our area,” said Brian Williams, Virginia program manager for the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA). “We have people of all ages helping to keep our river healthy for people and animals. These volunteers truly have a tremendous impact on every person who lives in Henry County and Martinsville, as well as the thousands of people who live downstream.”

The event is hosted by the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) and Henry County.

“The good news is that we see a little less trash every year,” Williams said. “That means a lot of people are taking better care of their community and making a difference for future generations.”

Volunteers met at the sports complex on Saturday morning and decided whether they wanted to help on the water or on land. Volunteers were given gloves, garbage bags, garbage pickers and safety vests before heading out to start collecting garbage.

The various groups collect garbage and waste until about noon before returning to the sports complex for lunch and the raffle.

Henry County and Henry County Adult Detention Center staff collected trash from the various locations and brought it to the transfer station after the event for disposal. Tires were the most common trash collected, and plastic bottles and cans were the most common.

“A lot of trash and garbage washes up from the streets and ends up directly in the Smith River,” said Tracy McKoy, beautification coordinator for Henry County. “A clean river and a clean community not only means healthy fish and wildlife and cleaner drinking water for our citizens. It can also impact economic development and be a factor in companies’ decisions to locate in our region.”

Boxley sponsored the volunteer lunch this year and Angler’s Choice, Hugo’s, Rural King, Henry County, Henry County Public Safety, Rooster Walk, DRBA and Lisa Simons provided raffle prizes.

“No one gets paid to keep our waterways clean. The only people who do it are those very special volunteers who give up several hours on a Saturday morning,” said DRBA Executive Director Tiffany Haworth. “Many people don’t realize that the trash they don’t put in the trash can ends up in the river. All it takes is for every resident of Martinsville and Henry County to simply take a moment and throw their trash where it belongs.”

DRBA is a nonprofit environmental organization that protects the region’s natural resources, such as the Dan River and its tributaries. The organization works to promote tourism and healthy lifestyles and assists communities in creating community parks, trails and access to local rivers and streams.

Its mission is to protect and promote the Dan River Basin through recreation, education and stewardship. Visit www.danriver.org to learn more about protecting and conserving local natural resources and how you can get involved.