The first cleanup project I organized along Oatlands Mill Rd sparked many positive conversations. After seeing the video, Dave and Juan asked if they could help. I’ve known those two wonderful guys for over 30 years, and they continue to inspire me with their efforts to give back and make the world a better place. So I was grateful for the opportunity to work on a project with them. Both Dave and Juan underwent organ transplants when they were young. And now, they are founders and board members of Recyclelife.org, an organization that helps to spread awareness about being an organ donor.

The weather report for the day we planned to clean up the riverside showed it was going to rain. Despite the weather, we went out. Fortunately, the skies soon cleared. Our team removed 320 lbs of trash, including one truck tire, an inflatable mattress, a large pillow, and 12 bottles, cans, and cups. We closed the last trash bags and loaded them onto the truck. Just as we were about to jump in and drive away, it started raining again. Such perfect timing! 

Thanks, Dave and Juan, for cleaning up the riverside trash so that this place’s original beauty can shine through again.