Hundreds of people in Harrisonburg rolled up their sleeves and hit the streets for the 11th Annual Blacks Run and Downtown Clean Up Day Saturday.
This year about 550 people participated, according to city stream health coordinator Jared Stoltzfus. That’s about 100 more people than last year.
“It’s getting bigger and better every year,” Stoltzfus said.
Walking along Cantrell Avenue, a team of Rosetta Stone employees hunts for trash. From left to right, Kevin Burnett, Shawna Fowble, Olga Monjeza and Kai Orenic.
Working in small teams, participants walked along major roads and Blacks Run collecting trash. Last year, despite an afternoon rain, about two tons of trash were collected, and city spokesperson Miriam Dickler is hopeful that amount may be higher this year due to the clear weather.
One group, assembled mostly of James Madison University students and teachers, spent the afternoon near Purcell Park. Amanda Phillips of Virginia Beach, who participated with others from her SCOM class, said, “People are very community focused” in Harrisonburg.
Following two hours of canvassing the city, participants regrouped on the grass across from the Daily News-Record to enjoy a complimentary lunch and performances by Trent Wagler and the Steel Wheels, and The Rickshaws. Educational displays were also on site to inform the public about the local environment.
In Liberty Park, groups seek out discarded trash that has made its way into the creek.
According to city environmental technology specialist Thanh Dang, the health of Blacks Run is at risk by several different factors, some of which create a high bacteria level in the creek. Sedimentation hurts the creek, Dang said, and the city has initiated projects to add vegetation in order to reduce erosion. The other issue is fecal matter. According to Dang, it is important to remind the public to pick up after their animals and, if a septic tank is in use, it should be well maintained.
However, Dang notes, over the last ten years, the state of the creek has improved and some plants and animals have made a comeback around the area.
JMU student Amanda Phillips of Virginia Beach holds a bag open for classmate Billy Polansky of Stafford in Purcell Park.
According to Dickler, the event was made possible by various organizations including the Department of Environmental Quality, Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, Harrisonburg city schools and city staff members, as well as James Madison University, among others.
“It’s a great success again,” Dickler said.
Once they are available, statistics from the event will be listed on the Clean Stream Web site at cleanstream.org.
Harrisonburg residents Heather Shriver, left, and Anngela Gibson, right, scan the grass beside Cantrell Avenue.
