By Marissa Dorny
The Provo River''s banks are cleaner and more environmentally safe - thanks to volunteers.
A crew of 70 volunteers scoured the riverbank for trash July 27, making their mark along the river from Deer Creek Dam to Utah Lake during the Second Annual Provo River Cleanup, sponsored by the Great Basin Foundation.
'This is an annual event that people can plan on,' said Christopher Peterson, founder of the Great Basin Foundation. 'If we expect to enjoy clean drinking water, great fishing and pristine scenery, we need to take some responsibility for our rivers.'
Volunteers met at Vivian Park and were assigned areas along the river. The first 20 volunteers rafted down the upper part of the Provo River cleaning up trash and debris that was inaccessible to those walking along the shores, said Reed Peterson, Great Basin Foundation event manager.
This year''s 70 volunteers greatly exceeded the 18 volunteers that showed up at last year''s event.
Volunteers came from all over the community, and included Boy Scouts working on Eagle projects, local residents, college students and outdoor enthusiasts.
Others came just because they like to volunteer.
'It''s more like we''re avid volunteers than anything else,' said Tonda Lamb, a volunteer from Lehi.
Lamb''s husband, John, said volunteer work gives the couple something to do and he hopes they can help make a difference.
Making a difference is what it is all about, said Sarah Farnsworth, BYU Eco-Response Team co-president. It is activities like the Provo River Cleanup where that difference can be made, said Farnsworth, 20, a senior from Orem majoring in visual arts.
It is important to make a difference now as well as in the future, Christopher Peterson said.
'Last year at the cleanup, a father and his children were floating on tubes right by us,' he said. 'We actually watched that dad finish a soda and then toss the can into the river. What kind of an example are we setting for our children?'
Picking up trash along the Provo River is just a small thing, but making a difference is accomplished by taking one small step at a time, Reed Peterson said.