Creek to Bay Day 2013 -- Rain or Shine

 

This year the Creek to Bay Day event was one to remember. Volunteers from the local neighborhood, Laney and Merritt College and Black & Vetch created a large turn out for the annual September event almost double the amount of the previous year. They were welcomed by a cool morning with a shining sun and not a cloud in the sky.

Alyssa and the sign in table

Tasks for the day included removing of trash from the Merritt College's abandon parking lot, cleaning of spray cans & trash from the canyon along Campus Drive and the installation of permanent garbage cans to help prevent those same spray cans from entering into Horseshoe creek. Volunteers were working with an astonishing vigor and tasks were approaching completion at a fast rate when mother nature decided to have a change of plans.

The skies began to darken, then the tit-tat of rain began to hit our backs, and before we knew it we were working in a torrential downpour. Horseshoe creek which was running at a slow summer pace that morning turned to a roaring lion of white water within a half an hour. The volunteers stuck it out and worked through the rain and before too long everyone was soaked to the bone. Despite having small lakes in their boots people worked hard and accomplished all the tasks for the day beyond the call of duty.

Permanent trash cans that were purchased by the Friends of Leona Heights through a grant given my the Clean Water Program were the largest accomplishment for the day. These cans will help curb the tremendous amount of trash that has been found making its way down the canyon side near a graffiti wall. These cans are helpful in that they offer a place for the graffiti "artists" to place their refuse which for many years had been just carelessly tossed down the very steep canyon side eventually making its way into the creek. It couldn't have been done without the experienced and very handy crews from Black and Vetch who were very gracious to send some of their folks to the Leona Heights site. Big shout outs to Matt Stavis' chemistry class who helped remove well over 1,000 pounds of trash from the park.

Over 1,000 pounds of garbage removed including
two tires, construction debris, and an estimated 800 spray cans.