| 6/11/2009 9:39:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Vicki Richmond, middle reach program manager, Missouri River Relief, says she sees the appreciation of local residents for what the Missouri River has to offer a key in success of Missouri River Clean-Up efforts such as that scheduled for June 27. (Photo by Jolene Stevens)
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Missouri River Clean-Up June 27
Jolene Stevens
Reporter
Talk about trash and it's unlikely you'll find few people getting excited about it. Vicki Richmond is an exception and with good reason.
Richmond, middle reach program manager, Missouri River Relief, gets down right excited about trash, especially if it's in the Missouri River. "There hasn't been another city that has embraced the river clean-up the way the Siouxland area has," the Kansas City-based Richmond said as she got out of her road-weary pickup last week.
Richmond's day had been a busy one as she proceeded to lay the groundwork necessary for this year's Siouxland Missouri River Clean-Up June 27. Her enthusiasm for the task was evident as she responded to the support shown for the community volunteer program and the initial meetings she'd had with local officials for this year's event.
Richmond is responsible for coordinating the debris and trash clean-up on some 400 miles of the Missouri in five states (Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri and Kansas).
"I think that when we started a year ago, the town was ripe for the project," Richmond said. "This is an area where the connection of area residents to the river already exists," she sad. "This is unusual in my stretch of the river at home. Kansas City seems to have very much turned its back on the Missouri, and it shouldn't have.
"Here in Siouxland, it's quite different as apparent in the reaction of people like Mark Monson, Missouri River Historical Development; Paul Nolan, public works director, South Sioux; Donna Goodier, South Sioux Chamber of Commerce, Tasha Barker, Argosy Casino, and Sally Reinhart, Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful," Richmond said.
"Here, with so much emphasis on doing things on the river, people see the river clean-up as a basic type of project with a "municipal culture" that creates "project sustainability" and a successful effort," Richmond said. "This sustainability is what matters most."
Richmond says she senses several reasons for the community's acceptance of the clean-up task. "One very pragmatic reason is that without a local lake, the Missouri River is your waterway, and people use the river to play," she suggested. "I think this is a big part of it. Everyone of all ages likes to play in the water. You give a kid a hose, and he's going to play in the water. Give someone a boat and they're going to do the same.
"Secondly, you've a different river here than in Kansas City. You're the first city on the channelized section of the river. The river is still manageable here," Richmond said. "It doesn't have the high floods and low water we experience in Kansas and mid-Missouri all the way down to St. Louis. It's a little more dependable river here."
Putting out the call for volunteers for the June 27th clean-up, Richmond says there's "something for everyone" included for those of all ages wanting to be a part of this year's Missouri River Clean-Up
New for this year's clean-up effort Richmond adds are the two $100 cash awards to be given by Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful to the organization providing the greatest number of volunteers and to the organization or individual with the "most interesting find" during the clean up.
Trained "core crews" from the Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri area will be the first on the scene to work with local volunteers in all areas of the clean-up activities Richmond pointed out. The arrival of the crews she adds is in of itself somewhat unusual for the volunteers to observe.
"It looks like a circus when we come rolling up in the trucks with the big boats, shovels and equipment, and then you start to realize it's really like a well oiled machine," Richmond said. "Sally Reinhart, a member of our committee perhaps has compared us to aliens coming in to build a pyramid. We come in, do this incredible, beautiful thing and after 12 tons of trash are removed from the river, we're gone."
Missouri River Relief, coordinating non-profit organization for the local project, Richmond explained was established in 2002 by individuals she describes as "recreationally using the Missouri, aggravated by trash they saw and inspired by what they other people were doing to pick up the trash." The organization has since its formation she added been responsible for collection of 190 tons of trash from along 525 miles of the Missouri.
As Richmond prepared to climb back into her pick-up for the ride back to Kansas City, her thoughts were on the forthcoming clean-up here as well as other efforts elsewhere. "There are divergent interests on the Missouri River itself. It's politically embattled in so many ways," she said. "The utilities are not in sync with the barge companies. The barge companies and barge industries are not in sync with biology.
"The biologists are not in sync with the tribes, and the tribes are not in sync with the states. I never, however, have to stand up at a meeting and scream trash is bad," Richmond said. "The Missouri River Clean-Up is a wonderful leveler. I think that's a great thing!"
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