ALBANY — The Lake Winnetka Sugar River Improvement Association Inc. will hold its annual Sugar River cleanup from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 22. The group will meet at the Albany American Legion Hall, 300 N Water St. across from the Boat Ramp near the Police/Fire station. Volunteers are requested, and refreshments will be served to all volunteers as a token of the group’s appreciation.
The goal is to remove as much garbage as possible from the river and its banks. They also want to clear a path through fallen trees that totally block navigation of canoes and create hazards.
The type of work varies from walking the banks or riding in canoes and picking up trash to cutting tree branches and handing them to people on shore. Equipment needed is canoes or small boats, chain saws, bow saws and waders.
The association will provide trash bags and local businesses will provide refreshments. The group will begin organizing at 9 a.m., with cleaning starting at 10 a.m. — or possibly sooner. A representative will be on-premise at the Albany American Legion to direct those who want to come later.
The clean-up is registered with the American Rivers National River Cleanup. Scout groups can earn community service points by helping out. Due to the pandemic, there may be a few changes, but the river cleanup will happen.
To contact the group to volunteer, ask a question or receive more information, email lwsria@aol.com, “Like” the group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-WinnetkaSugar-River-Improvement-Association-Inc/374367135943433 or call 608-862-1698 or 773-418-7123.
