Volunteers needed for Hartwell Lake cleanup

Lake Hartwell Clean Up Green Up efforts are still underway though the initial cleanup event has ended. The Savannah Army Corps of Engineers’ Hartwell Lake Office and the Lake Hartwell Association (LHA) invite local residents, scout groups, civic clubs, and other potential volunteers to join year-round efforts in maintaining a clean and inviting environment for all lake visitors. “From the beginning, our long term goal was to move this effort into a proactive year long ‘maintenance’ program to keep areas clean and green instead of a once-a-year clean up,” said Corps Natural Resources Specialist Dustin Cullen. For more than 25 years, the Lake Hartwell Association has worked in partnership with the Corps of Engineers to clean up the shoreline and islands of the lake. “The new, perpetual cleanup approach allows individuals and groups to adopt and take pride in maintaining their chosen areas when and how they choose,” said Herb Burnham, Executive Director of the Lake Hartwell Association. Potential volunteers can obtain a list of adoptable areas by contacting Cullen at 888-893-0678, ext. 311. April’s Clean Up Green Up campaign elicited more than 300 volunteers who collected over 3,000 pounds of debris from Lake Hartwell’s shoreline and water. For past and future efforts, a Clean Up Green Up Appreciation Picnic is scheduled in April 2016 to recognize volunteers’ commitment to keeping Hartwell clean and beautiful. More details will follow on specifics of the picnic at a later date,” said Cullen. The hosts would like to thank all the sponsors, especially Home Depot, who donated cleanup supplies, drinking water and other accommodations for volunteers of this year’s event.