ALBANY – The Lake Winnetka Sugar River Improvement Association Inc. (LWSRIA) will hold its annual Sugar River cleanup from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 in Albany.

There will be canoes available for volunteers to use to do is pick up trash or clear branches. Shuttle service will be provided. 

Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the Albany American Legion Hall, 300 N Water Street. Their goal is to remove as much garbage as possible from the river, its banks and also to clear a path through fallen trees that totally block navigation of canoes and create hazards. Categories of work vary from walking the banks or riding in canoes, kayaks or boats and picking up trash or cutting tree branches and handing them to people on shore. 

Interested volunteers should indicate the category of work they’d like to do when they register on the pre-registration page.

Equipment needed includes canoes or small boats, chain saws, bow saws and waders. The association will provide trash bags and local businesses will provide food and refreshments. 

Volunteers will get organized at 9 a.m. and begin cleaning up at 10 a.m. or sooner. However, a representative will be on premise at the American Legion to direct those that arrive later. Students and scouts can earn community service points by helping out. 

For more information, e-mail lwsria@aol.com, log on to the LWSRIA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lwsria or call 773-418-7123 and leave a message including name and phone number. 

There will also be a pre-registration page where volunteers can pick a work category and available working hours.