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Volunteers may now sign up for Big Clinch River Cleanup July 8

The first 100 people who register for the Big Clinch River Cleanup on Saturday, July 8, qualify for a free breakfast at the scenic Museum of Appalachia, 2819 Andersonville Highway, Norris.

Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast starting at 8, followed by a briefing on assignments and safety; the cleanup will wrap up about 2 p.m.

Everyone who enjoys the river, from anglers to kayakers to wildlife watchers, is invited to help remove litter from the Clinch and its banks.

Volunteers work in several ways:

• Above the water line, workers walk along riverside roads and through parking areas, gathering trash.

• Volunteers wearing waders patrol for litter in shallow water.

• In kayaks and canoes, volunteers work to clean shorelines and shallow water where there is no public access by road.

• In powerboats and drift boats, volunteers transport collection bags from the kayaks/canoes and haul large items from the depths.

The event traditionally starts with a free full breakfast at the picturesque museum (expenses of the meal are supported by a grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority). To sign up, please visit crctu.org and click on Big Cleanup Registration. For more information, contact Stan Atkins at atkinsstan53@gmail.com or 865-310-0508.

The event will be held rain or shine (in case of severe weather, the breakfast will be held, but volunteers will stay on shore).

Clinch River Chapter Trout Unlimited works to preserve and protect the Clinch River tailwater and its watershed through conservation projects and through education of children and adults in aquatic natural resources.

Meetings are held the second Thursday of the month in the Appalachian Room, Norris Dam State Park – West Side, 125 Village Green, Rocky Top (except as noted in the Events page at https://crctu.org). All meetings are open to the public.