KALISPELL — This summer marks five years of river stewardship for Flathead Rivers Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding the Flathead River System.
Saturday, Aug. 9, marks the fifth annual Flathead Waters Cleanup Event — bringing hundreds of volunteers together in northwest Montana to pick up trash around cherished bodies of water.
“Any lake, river, creek, wetland if it has water in it, we want you there,” Flathead Rivers Alliance Executive Director Sheena Pate said.
Pate anticipates hundreds of people to volunteer on the water for this year’s cleanup.
“Several thousands of pounds of trash that we’ve collected over the last five years, so we’re pretty excited, Evergreen disposal donates a massive dumpster which we fill every year," Pate said.
The cleanup event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 9 with an after party from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sacred Waters Brewery in Kalispell.
Prizes are given out for various categories including most interesting trash item and largest trash item recovered.
Pate said Flathead Rivers Alliance aims to give back to the natural resource that offers so much to outdoor lovers in northwest Montana.
“Everything from cleanups, weed pulls, talking to river recreationists on the river, floating citizen scientists," Pate said.
She said the nonprofit relies on volunteer river ambassadors each summer.
Ambassadors hand out maps, safety tips, and teach proper water etiquette at different river access sites up and down the north, middle and south fork of the Flathead River.
“It’s a great opportunity to build community, learn more about the river system and give back to the river ways we all love," Pate said.
More information on how to become a river ambassador and how to sign up for the Flathead Waters Cleanup Event can be found here.
