Cleanups Rain or Shine

		Above, Lauren Rider and Jonathan Wimmer picking up trash... or were they discussing politics? Below, disposing tires should not be this much fun!

By David E. Booker

The water was up and running fast in First Creek on Saturday, April 22nd. It had rained the day before the cleanup date and even threatened to rain some that morning. Any thoughts of wadding into the creek to get trash were quickly postponed. Still five residents of Old North Knoxville, and two residents of Fourth and Gill combined forces with 17 people provided by Mike Stringfield, Work Project Coordinator with the State of Tennessee Dept. of Probation and Parole, to pick up trash along the entire length of the First Creek Greenway from Broadway all the way over to E. Glenwood.

Two shopping carts, two brush piles, at least one homeless collection of wet, abandoned clothes and blankets, empty bottles and food containers, one tire, one fire extinguisher, and at least ten bags of trash were picked up. Thank you to Ernie Roberts, Amy Broyles, Lauren Rider, Jonathan Wimmer, Margo Kagan, and Beth, Lauren, and David Booker. Thank you, also to Mike Stringfield and his crew, who even took time out from the cleanup to help a nearby church erect a tent for their revival meeting.

Plans are underway to pick up trash from along the creek bed and in the creek on Saturday, June 17th. A fall creek cleanup is also being planned. Contact Beth Booker at or 524-8515 to help with either cleanup.

Editor’s Note: On account of the racing water in April there was a second Creek Cleanup on June 17th. David Booker, Gwynne Evans and Margo Hughes were assisted once again by 9 people supplied by Mike Stringfield. To our running tally we added 11 shopping carts, 3 compressor motors, 22 bags of trash, 2 political signs, 1 car bumper, and 1 muddy tire. Thanks to Beth and Lauren Booker for organizing lunch.

	Above, the results of the cleanup.