Our beautiful Navesink, as seen from Marine Park in Red Bank Wednesday evening. (Photo by Danielle Tepper. Click to enlarge)
By DANIELLE TEPPER
This weekend, area residents will take to the water as part of two individual cleanup events in an effort to keep the Navesink River beautiful and litter-free.
Those who are proud to call Red Bank and Rumson home based on the riverÂ’s picturesque expanse are asked to give a couple hoursÂ’ worth of time and exertion in order to protect it.
Both events are rain or shine, except in the case of thunder and lightning. All volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes; unlike a beach cleanup, volunteers may have to walk through bushes and shallow parts of the river to retrieve garbage.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Red Bank
Red Bank Riverkeepers will hold their fourth annual event at Red Bank Marina. The first three hours will be dedicated to removing trash from the river that can only be reached by boat during low tide. After getting their hands dirty (literally), volunteers will be treated to hot dogs and soda while sharing their love of the environment with their fellow volunteers.
Sponsors are needed to provide the supplies which include gloves, trash bags, and the hot dogs and soda, as well as T-shirts for volunteers as a thank you for getting involved – sponsorsÂ’ names will be printed on the shirts. Deadline for sponsors to sign up is today, June 7. Call Amanda Jennings to be a volunteer or sponsor at 732-977-8749. The Red Bank Marina is located at the foot of Hubbard’s Bridge linking Red Bank with Middletown via West Front Street.
Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., Rumson
The meeting point is the Rumson boat ramp, located near the municipal building. Trash will be targeted around the nearby islands and wetland bordered canals.
Held in coordination with Monmouth County Clean Communities and the Borough of Rumson Recycling/Clean Communities office, the event also welcomes paddlers in kayaks and canoes to help. A Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is required for all participants. Those interested may contact Jerry Keelen, Navesink Swimming River GroupÂ’s cleanup coordinator, at 732-403-4488.
