Events and Activities : River RATS continue to plan for Aug. 11 clean-up

River RATS hope to clean up messes like this Aug. 11 along the Cedar River.

In just under 3 months, the Cedar River will be host to an assortment of organized volunteers that will gather for the 5th annual Cedar River clean up project.

The 2012 clean up will begin at Mt. Auburn, the northernmost boat ramp in Benton County. The group will float to a pre-determined spot for lunch (provided by the Committee), and to offload any refuse that has been collected along the way. When lunch is over, the RATS will once again take to the water and finish their float to the Vinton boat ramp just before the bridge.

This event has a young, but rich history in cleaning the banks of the Cedar, while trying to teach new and avid “Cedar-Goers” the importance of cleaning up after themselves after a day of fun, and the hazards that are sometimes buried for years in the sands of the riverbanks. The past four years have yielded literally TONS of debris of all types, from tires to tin and plastics to glass…

The immediate details are:

Date: Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012

Time: 9:00 AM

Place: Meet at the Mt. Auburn Boat Ramp

No reservations necessary

Bags/gloves are supplied to each volunteer. A grilled lunch and homemade treats will be served to each volunteer, and shirts will be provided to the first 50 volunteers!

Watch for more information, or call 319-558-7476 or 319-560-9071.