FRANKLIN
The 15th-annual Clean Rivers Day is set to kick off on Saturday, and Riverkeeper Jeff Turner is still looking for teams — particularly those willing to go out onto the rivers to clean.

“It’s pretty bad from Franklin down the river for two to three miles,” Turner said. “I do hope more people sign up to go on the river than what they have in the past few years. If you have a boat and want to do it, please go.”

He said he had one guy agree to travel up Franklin’s ditch that leads into the river by canoe, and that will help greatly, but people are still needed in more locations.

Turner said he also needs teams on shore. As of Monday, he had 13 groups signed up, and he hoped to get that up to 30 by Saturday. To sign up, contact Turner and let him know where you want to clean up, so people are not double-booked at a location.

“Just remember that every bit of trash they pick up, is a piece of trash that we can keep from getting in the river,” Turner said. “It helps me, it helps the environment, and it’s a good project. It also helps folks get out in the morning and get something done.”

If Saturday is a conflict, the Riverkeeper also said that other days would work.

“I know my dad and a couple of other teams will go before Saturday,” Turner said. “Some teams do that — they will do it a day or two before or after.

“I don’t care, as long as they do it. The mission is to clean up the environment. The date is less important, as long as you get out, exercise, clean up some trash and get the reports back to me. That’s the main thing.”

Saturday has some potential to get ugly, weather-wise, though the Riverkeeper is hoping to avoid a complete washout.

“We’ll have it rain or shine,” Turner said. “If people can go out a little bit, that’d be great. I don’t expect people out if it’s a frog-choking rain, but if you can get out for an hour and clean up some trash, that’s all that matters.”

To contact Turner to sign up or for more information, call him at 562-5173, or email him at blknotkpr@earthlink.net.

“It doesn’t take but a couple of hours to get out and do something like that,” he said about the event. “Go out in the morning, feel good, make a difference and enjoy the rest of your Saturday.”