Alabama Power volunteers kick off Renew Our Rivers 2023 with special preseason cleanup
Volunteers from Alabama Power and The Exceptional Foundation made the Jemison Trail along Shades Creek in Jefferson County a little cleaner this week. (contributed)
The first community cleanup takes place March 4 along Valley Creek in Jefferson County
The official public kickoff of the 2023 Renew Our Rivers cleanup campaign is just a couple of weeks away. But earlier this week, a group of Alabama Power volunteers joined with a Birmingham-area nonprofit to get the year started with a special, preseason cleanup.
Volunteers from Alabama Power’s Environmental Affairs and Public Relations teams gathered Wednesday along Shades Creek in Jefferson County with volunteers from The Exceptional Foundation, a nonprofit that provides services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Together, they removed trash from along the Jemison Trail that otherwise could have ended up in the creek and, eventually, in the Cahaba River.
The cleanup took place after some early-morning drizzle, which made for a few slick and muddy spots along the trail.
Despite the drizzly weather, “There were a lot of smiling faces,” said volunteer Liza Padilla, who works in Public Relations.
Susan Comensky, Alabama Power vice president of Environmental Affairs, with a volunteer from The Exceptional Foundation. (Liza Padilla / Alabama News Center)
“We’re proud of our partnership with such an important organization in our community whose mission is to provide children and adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to build friendships, learn about healthy living and life skills, and community involvement,” said Keith Chandler, an engineer in Alabama Power’s Environmental Affairs organization who coordinated the cleanup.
“Our employees were able to develop friendships with The Exceptional Foundation participants while giving back to the community we serve. We look forward to additional opportunities to partner together,” Chandler said.
Alabama Power is among the sponsors of The Exceptional Foundation’s upcoming Chili Cook-Off, which is a major fundraiser for the organization. The company will be promoting Renew Our Rivers at the March 4 cook-off, which is also the kickoff day for this year’s cleanup schedule. The March 4 Renew Our Rivers cleanup will take place at multiple locations along Valley Creek in Jefferson County, with multiple partners supporting the effort. To view the complete 2023 cleanup schedule, click here. Learn more about the cook-off here.
Susan Comensky, vice president of Alabama Power’s Environmental Affairs group, said Renew Our Rivers could hit a volunteer milestone in 2023.
Wes Anderson, who works in Alabama Power’s Environmental Affairs group, partners with a volunteer from The Exceptional Foundation to pick up trash along Shades Creek. (Liza Padilla / Alabama News Center)
“It’s incredible that Renew Our Rivers is beginning its 24th year,” Comensky said. “The program’s success is due to the commitment of a tremendous number of volunteers across the Southeast. Our hope is that this year, Alabama will surpass 100,000 volunteers since the program started.”
Renew Our Rivers began in 2000 with a cleanup in Gadsden and has since grown to one of the largest river cleanup campaigns in the region with events also being held each year in Georgia and Mississippi.
Here’s the list of cleanups in Alabama for 2023. The Renew Our Rivers schedule is subject to change.
March 4: Valley Creek Spring Cleanup (Jefferson County, multiple locations)
Contact: Hanna Berres hana.berres@jccal.org, 205-325-8741
March 11: Chattahoochee River (Plant Farley)
Contact: Melanie Rogers, mlrogers@southernco.com
March 17-18: Lake Eufaula (Chattahoochee River)
Contact: Brad Moore at bmooreless@gosuto.com
March 25 – April 1: Logan Martin (Coosa River)
Contact: Bud Kitchin, 256-239-0242
March 25: Mulga Loop Cleanup (Jefferson County)
Contact: Hana Berres, hana.berres@jccal.org, 205-325-8741
April 1: Lay Lake at Plant Gaston (Coosa River)
Contact: Gerson Pickett, glpickett@southernco.com
April 1–9: Lay Lake (Coosa River)
Contact: Judy Jones, 205-669-4865
April 14: Smith Lake (Cullman County)
Contact: Jim Murphy, 205-529-5981
April 27–28: Smith Lake (Winston County)
Contact: Jim Eason, msgjeason@yahoo.com
April 29: Weiss Lake
Contact: Sam Marko, 404-626-8594
May 6: Lake Jordan (Coosa River)
Contact: Gayla Littlejohn at glittlejohn13@gmail.com
May 13: Lake Mitchell (Coosa River)
Contact: Dale Vann, 205-910-3713
May 16-17: Smith Lake (Walker County)
Contact: Roger Treglown, 205-300-5253
Aug. 5: Holt Reservoir
Contact: Becky Clark, 205-799-2449
Aug. 12: Valley Creek (Jefferson County, multiple locations)
Contact: Jonika Smith, jonika.smith@jcdh.org
Sept. 8: Smith Lake (Cullman County)
Contact: Jim Murphy, 205-529-5981
Sept. 14-15: Smith Lake (Winston County)
Contact: Jim Eason, msgjeason@yahoo.com
Sept: 20-21: Smith Lake (Walker County)
Contact Roger Treglown, 205-300-5253
Sept. 22-23: Village Creek (Jefferson County)
Contact: Marilyn Roberts, marilynvilcreek@bellsouth.net, 205-798-0087
Sept. 25-30: Neely Henry Lake (Coosa River)
Contact: Lisa Dover, 256-549-0900
Oct. 3: Dog River (Mobile County)
Contact: Catie Boss, 251-829-2146 or clboss@southernco.com
Oct. 4-5: Mobile River (Plant Barry)
Contact: Jeff Reeves, 251-829-2746
Oct. 7: Lake Mitchell (Coosa River)
Contact: Dale Vann, 205-910-3713
Oct. 12: Plant Miller (Locust Fork)
Contact: Marybeth Vines, 205-488-2033 or mewillis@southernco.com
Oct. 13-14: Lake Demopolis
Contact: Jason Arledge, cjarledg@southernco.com
Oct. 24-26: Lake Harris (Tallapoosa River-Lake Wedowee)
Contact: Crystal White, 256-396-5093 or Marlin Glover, 770-445-0824
Nov. 3-4: Lake Martin (Tallapoosa River)
Contact: John Thompson, 334-399-3289 or https://www.lmra.info/contact-us
Date TBD: Bankhead Lake (Black Warrior River)
Contact: Ronnie Tew, 205-908-4857
Date TBD: Plant Gorgas (Mulberry Fork)
Contact: John Pate, 205-686-2324 or johpate@southernco.com
Keep up with any scheduling changes by visiting apcshorelines.com and scrolling down to information about Renew Our Rivers.
