Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB) will host a Lakeside Litter Sweep on Lake Murray September 18 from 9 am to noon KMB is seeking volunteers to clean up islands, shorelines, boat ramps, 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 September 18 at pre-assigned check-in locations at South Shore Marina in Lexington, Lake Murray Marina in Richland, Big Man’s Marina in Saluda, and Dreher Island State Park Marina in Newberry counties. Volunteers will receive a safety and orientation briefing as well as pick up and return all necessary cleanup supplies provided by KMB and PalmettoPride. Many hands make light work, so grab a friend, neighbor, or colleague, form a team, and register at eventbrite.com/e/.
Pre-registration is required. Every volunteer will receive a thank you gift and is eligible for door prizes and drawings including gift certificates for restaurants, pontoon boat and jet ski rentals and more.
Volunteers with their own boats may travel to islands and shorelines on their own after picking up supplies. No boat, no problem; our partners, Aquafun Boat Rentals & Tours, Fifty-Fifty Watersports, LLC, and The Osprey at Lake Murray Cruises will shuttle volunteers to various islands on the lake. Other teams will clean the shorelines, boat ramps and nearby roads surrounding the lake. In addition, divers with Wateree Dive Shop have volunteered to remove litter below the surface of the lake. Safety is our priority; the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Columbia Power Squadron will be on hand to support the event.
The Lakeside Litter Sweep is part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ 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, Core Programs Administrator. “We know that many people 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 one time a year on a large-scale, KMB also relies on small volunteer groups to keep waterways clean year-round. KMB’s Adopt-a-Waterway program, sponsored in part by Dominion Energy, provides volunteer groups recognition for committing to cleaning a section of waterways including rivers, creeks, boat ramps, and islands at Lake Murray two times a year for two years. For a list of adoptable locations and details about how to adopt a waterway, visit keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org.