WEIRTON - Volunteers are getting prepared to help make a difference with the environment Saturday as River Sweep 2010 takes place along the Ohio River.
In Hancock County, efforts will be focused in the areas of Swanee's Landing, Edgewater Park, Kennedy Marina and Harmon Creek.
Hancock County Coordinator Phyllis Swan said volunteers are being asked to be at their selected sites by 9 a.m. Saturday in order to start working.
Volunteers will be walking along the banks of the Ohio River, picking up garbage and other items they may find.
"You pick up anything that's not to be there," Swan said.
Some of the materials found along the river during past sweeps include metal, plastic, fishing line and barrels.
"We found parts of a boat one year," she said.
ArcelorMittal Steel is among this year's corporate sponsors for the River Sweep, and will have crews of volunteers out Saturday helping with the effort.
Richard McCullough, manager of special projects, explained ArcelorMittal Weirton has a community involvement team which focuses on a variety of community projects, including environmental issues.
"It seems to be a good fit since we're right on the river," McCullough said.
McCullough said crews from ArcelorMittal will be working at two sites along the Ohio River, with some at the Steubenville marina and some at the mouth of Harmon Creek.
Swan said she would like to thank all of the corporate sponsors for this year's River Sweep.
"We couldn't do it without people like that," Swan said.
Other corporate sponsors include AEP River Operations; AK Steel; American Electric Power; American Water; Arch Chemicals; Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir; Cargill; Childers Oil; CSX; Dayton Power and Light; Dominion Foundation; Dow Corning Foundation; DuPont Washington Works; Duquesne Light Co.; E.ON U.S.; Gallatin Steel; Illinois SCALE grant; Kentucky American Water; Kentucky River Authority; Koppers; LaFarge; Louisville and Jefferson County MSD; Louisville Water Co.; Massac County Soil and Water; Mead Johnson Nutrition; Neville Chemical Co.; PPG Industries Foundation; Rivertown Breakdown; Rumpike; SABIC Innovative Plastics; Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky; and West Virginia American Water.
Those volunteering their time as part of River Sweep are being advised to wear old, comfortable clothing and to bring gloves.
Swan explained she will have garbage bags for volunteers to use while collecting trash from along the river.
Each volunteer also will receive a River Sweep 2010 T-shirt.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)
