ALBANY — It’s spring cleaning time and volunteers are sought to work with the Albany Conservation Club from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 16 at the annual Sugar River Cleanup.
The club is not new, though it recently had a name change. Originally known as the Lake Winnetka/Sugar River Improvement Association Inc. or “LWSRIA”, the new name more appropriately reflects their current goals. Originally, the LWSRIA was started more than 60 years ago as a property owners group near Albany. Twenty years ago, the LWSRIA split away from the property owners group, who then changed their name. But the LWSRIA retained their name as a non-profit group with membership open to anyone interested in “Keeping the Sugar Sweet, Clean & Navigable”.
Then the Albany Wildlife Area was also added to the cleanups leading to formally adopting the area. Also, the association has brought back the annual “Hooked on Fishing” kids fishing contest, which didn’t happen for four years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Getting kids involved in conservational efforts through participation in the river cleanups, fishery improvements, hunting, fishing, hunter’s safety courses, etc., led the group to embark on the challenging project of formally changing the non-profit name to something shorter and more reflective of the current goals as a group that works to conserve our natural resources.
The newly named Albany Conservation Club (ACC) concentrates on some new conservation efforts, such as improving the fishery in the Sugar River through fish stocking.
The upcoming Sugar River Cleanup event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 16. There will be canoes and transportation available from local campgrounds.
Volunteers will meet at the Albany American Legion hall located at 300 N. Water Street. The goal is to remove as much garbage as possible from the river and the banks, as well as to clear a navigable path through dangerous fallen trees that totally block passage of canoes, kayaks and small boats creating dangerous hazards.
Categories of work include walking the banks of the river or paddling canoes, kayaks or small boats to pick up trash or trimming branches and/or helping to get the branches on to the shore. Volunteers should indicate the type of work they would like to do when registering. Those that would like to help but don’t want to go out on the water, there will be a bus to take volunteers to all the local bridges to clean under them where a road trash has accumulated.
Equipment needed are small boats, chainsaws, bow and pole saws, and waders. The ACC will provide trash bags and local businesses will provide food & refreshments. Organizing will start at 9 a.m. clean up will begin by 10 a.m. or sooner. There will be representatives of the ACC at the Legion hall throughout the day to direct those who want to start later. Scouts and students can earn community service points by volunteering.
Contact the ACC for more information about the Sugar River Cleanup at 608-501-1127 or 773-418-7123, or via email at albanyconservationclub@gmail.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/albanyconservationclub.
There will also be a link and QR code where to pre-register and select work categories and volunteer hours: https://forms.gle/7XKrWKfbx1HfvM8N9.
Liability waivers will need to be assigned upon arrival. All volunteers present will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 gift card.
Also, on Saturday, June 6, the annual “Hooked on Fishing” children’s fishing contest will take place in Albany. There will be lots of prizes available for contestants in all categories. See the ACC Facebook page for more details.
