Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB) and their event partners will host the third annual Lakeside Litter Sweep litter cleanup event on Lake Murray on September 16 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.
KMB is seeking volunteers to clean up islands, shorelines, boat ramps, roads, and natural areas around the lake.
Volunteers are invited to end the summer with a splash by making a difference in keeping Lake Murray litter-free. Check-in will begin at 8:30 am on September 16 at three locations: Southshore Marina in Leesville, Catfish Johnny’s-Rusty Anchor Restaurants in Chapin, and Dreher Island State Park in Prosperity. With help from PalmettoPride, Dominion Energy, Keep Newberry County Beautiful and other event partners, volunteers will receive a safety and orientation briefing, cleanup supplies, an event t-shirt, lunch, a thank you gift, and an opportunity to win prizes from local businesses.
Pre-registration is required by September 8. Many hands make light work, so grab a friend, neighbor, family, or colleague, come alone, or form a team, and register now at https://kmbsc.org. KMB is launching its Litter Trashes Lake Murray, Don’t do it campaign in partnership with their new regional Litter Task Force and PalmettoPride’s Litter Trashes Everyone state-wide slogan to instill in its citizens a sense of pride and commitment to protect our beautiful state against the harmful and unsightly impact of litter.
Volunteers with their own boats may travel to islands and shorelines on their own after picking up supplies. No boat, no problem; several Lake Murray boat charter and rental companies will shuttle volunteers to various islands on the lake at no charge. If you prefer land, select the option to clean the shorelines, boat ramps and nearby roads surrounding the lake. In addition, divers have volunteered to remove litter below the surface of the lake. Safety is our priority; the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) will be on hand to support this event.
The Lakeside Litter Sweep is part of the SCDNR’s annual Beach Sweep River Sweep, which works to keep South Carolina’s waterways clean and raise awareness of the impact that litter has on our rivers, lakes, beaches, and oceans as an interconnected system.
“Lake Murray is the Midlands’ greatest treasure, and it is so important to keep it clean and healthy,” said Laura Blake-Orr, KMB’s Programs Administrator. “We know that many residents and visitors enjoy recreation on and around the lake each year, and we hope that these same people will join us in giving back and helping to clean it up.”
While the Lakeside Litter Sweep gives citizens the opportunity to work together once a year on a large scale, KMB also relies on small volunteer groups to keep waterways in Lexington and Richland counties clean year-round. KMB’s Adopt-a-Waterway program, sponsored in part by Dominion Energy, provides volunteer groups recognition for committing to clean a section of waterway including rivers, creeks, boat ramps, and Lake Murray islands two times a year for two years. For a list of adoptable locations and details about how to adopt a waterway, visit keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/what-we-do.
