Gwinnett County Eco-Focused Nonprofit and Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources Team Up to Host Jackson Creek Watershed Cleanup and Festival October 26
Lawrenceville, Ga. – October 21, 2019 – Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B) and its partners at Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources are excited to host an event worthy of the 20th anniversary of Great Days of Service. Created by the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services – a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the health and human service needs of everyone in Gwinnett County, Great Days of Service is a cooperative and community-focused initiative. From clean air and water to litter-free parks and roadways, the environment plays an enormous role in the health and wellness of the people and animals who live within the surrounding ecosystem. That’s why Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has been honored to play a role in Great Days of Service since its inception. On October 26, GC&B will host a watershed cleanup as it has for the last two decades, but this time the eco-focused nonprofit and its friends at Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources will include a fun little twist. Shortly following the cleanup, volunteers can enjoy Halloween-themed Trick-or-Treatment Festival – complete with costume contest, food, fun and games. Volunteers have been asked to dress up as either their favorite superhero or create their own environmental hero costume for a chance to win prizes for originality and creativity.
“Given the date of this event, we felt Halloween was the perfect inspiration to enhance the 20th Anniversary of Great Days of Service,” said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “Hosted at the Yellow River Water Reclamation Facility, the Trick-or-Treatment Festival will follow what is sure to be a productive morning. Last year, 112 volunteers donated 448 hours of their time to canvas the area at the Upper Yellow Watershed in Lawrenceville. Within 4 hours, they had collected an estimated 11,000 pounds of litter – that’s nearly the weight of an elephant. We’re returning to the Jackson Creek Watershed in Lilburn after a five-year hiatus – as we tried to hit other critical watersheds throughout the county in the years between. That’s five years-worth of litter to collect from the creek and surrounding watershed, so there’s no doubt we’ll be busy. We’re thrilled to announce that we’re already AT capacity for volunteers for this event – which is a clear indication that word of mouth and community spirit are both alive and well in Gwinnett County. The festival will serve as our reward for a job well done. I, for one, look forward to seeing how creative folks can get with their costumes – especially the originally-designed environmental hero costumes. In my book, our volunteers already ARE heroes.”
Jackson Creek Watershed is one of 32 smaller watersheds that are part of three main watersheds that cover Gwinnett County. A watershed comprises the area of land surrounding a lake, stream or pond. Water from rain and runoff flows downhill from the watershed into the waterway, often carrying litter and chemical pollution with it. That pollution can impact nearby waterways, as well as the flora and fauna that count upon the watershed and those waterways for food and water. For that reason, GC&B believes watershed cleanups are one of the most important programs it provides. Held at the Yellow River Water Reclamation Facility – located at 858 Tom Smith Rd SW in Lilburn, cleanup activities will take place from 9 – 11am, followed by food and fun at the festival from 11am-1pm. For more information about GC&B’s Great Days of Service 2019, please visit the event page at www.gwinnettcb.org.
About Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful: Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Services, Inc. (GC&B) is a Keep America Beautiful affiliate and award-winning 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It boasts an expansive community-based network dedicated to finding long-term solutions to environmental and quality of life issues through individual action. The organization is guided by a Citizens Advisory Board that represents all sectors of the Gwinnett County community. A nationally recognized leader in creating cleaner, greener and more livable communities throughout Gwinnett, GC&B involves more than 100,000 volunteers annually to clean and restore public places, recycle more, protect watersheds and develop the next generation of environmental stewards. To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and its mission of “Connecting People and Resources for a Sustainable Gwinnett,” please visit www.GwinnettCB.org.
