Volunteers sought for forest clean-up
Raco - Like the old spaghetti sauce commercial, those who used to tour the Hiawatha National Forest could say “It’s in there.”
It — in this case — could be anything from a pile of dirty diapers to the rusted out hulk of an abandoned school bus. Tires, batteries, junk vehicles, old furniture, broken toilets and old mattresses used to litter the forest floor.
But going into their 15th year, the participants in the Hiawatha National Forest Clean-up effort are struggling to find enough trash to keep them going.
“We have to go a lot farther and look a lot harder,” said Rudy Johnson, who has spearheaded the campaign since day one. “This year, we’re putting a little different spin on it.”
Johnson said the a group will target the area along Lakeshore Drive and the Curley Lewis Highway from the road to the beach when it reconvenes for the annual clean-up on May 5 and 6.
The old school trash removers will also have a site off of Wertz Road discovered by Ed Gorentz of the Sportsmen’s Off Road Vehicle Alliance (SORVA) while out cruising on his ATV.
“The garbage is still out there,” said Gorentz, “but you’ve got to look for it.”
Don Mikel spent 35 years employed by the U.S. Forest Service before his recent retirement. Despite the fact that he is no longer in charge of the Hiawatha National Forest, he still plans to be there next weekend.
Official numbers from the previous 14 years show the group has made a huge difference. To date, they have removed 168 tons of scrap metal, more than 1,000 tires, approximately 600 yards of trash and more than 100 car batteries.
Johnson points out they would have actually made money for the organization if they had waited to start the clean-up project until scrap metal prices shot through the roof.
“I wish we would have saved all of our scrap metal, we’d have a fortune by now,” he said.
Volunteers will receive a T-shirts and hats for participating in the effort and will be treated to a fish fry at the Raco Work Center on Saturday, May 5. Those who return on Sunday are eligible to celebrate their accomplishments with a pizza party at the Lumberjack Bar, compliments of Rex and Mary.
Johnson encouraged people to bring in their old appliances and unwanted furniture directly to the collection site.
“Bring it to Raco, have lunch with us and be on your merry way,” he said.
Gorentz quickly agreed.
“I’d rather throw it in a dumpster from a pick-up truck than climb up and down a cliff with it,” he concluded.
