GLADE CREEK, WV (WOAY) – Rounding off the Earth Day clean-up events, Generation New River Gorge geared up and joined New River Conservancy and Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve for a day of litter clean-up along our famous river. And despite being a little chilly, it was a great day to raft for a good cause towards cleaner waters.
“We are excited to get out here early this morning, it’s a beautiful day, it’s going to get warmer, and we’re excited to pick up some trash, get some tires out of the river and do it a third time,” says President of Generation NRG Cassidy Bayes.
The groups met at McCreery and put in the river at Glade Creek to make their way towards Thurmond, cleaning up trash, tires, and other debris they might see along the way. The New River Conservancy has been doing these litter clean-ups along the New for many years before Generation New River Gorge got involved to lend a helping hand.
“Now with Generation New River Gorge, they have kind of taken up the initiative and they organize a couple clean-ups a year here in the New, so that helps us get a lot more people out and pick up a lot more trash,” says Dave Bassage, West Virginia’s Program Director for NRG Conservancy and Executive Director for Friends of NRG National Park and Preserve.
The more people willing to lend a hand the better… And clean-up projects like this one organized by these groups not only make a huge, positive impact on the environment, but it brings people together in the community, as well.
“Generation is all about getting young people and the community together, and so our mission is to attract and retain young people to West Virginia,” says Jenna Grayson, one of Generation NRG’s team members. “And so it’s a great time for us to meet others and network while also having a good time.”
Generation NRG plans to hold another New River clean-up day in the coming months ahead. And while this New River clean-up wrapped up the Earth Day festivities, for now, the postponed Earth Day Festival is now set to be in June.
