Special thanks to Starbucks for their team leaders, to Walmart and SJC-Public Works for financial support, to CA Coastal Commission for supplies, to On-site Electronic Recycling for their waste collection, and especially to Bob Johnson, Janet Hamilton, Julia Tyack, Jeff and Mary Hood, Curt Juran, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and the Lodi News-Sentinel for helping get the word out (great job writing, Maggie, and photos, Ian!), and to so many others who were tapped to help keep the crowds working. Shoulder to shoulder, we got the job done!

For the record, approximately 500 pounds of trash was removed from the lake and park area. The top 10 items included: 1,052 cigarette butts, 321 caps/lids, 284 food wrappers, 178 plastic bags, 169 straws, 140 eating utensils, 111 toys, 100 plastic bottles, 85 cans, 75 glass bottles.

Upstream of Lodi, several volunteer groups also cleaned the river. So we can say that overall, including Lodi Lake, 393 volunteers worked, 2,410 pounds of trash were removed, 250-plus pounds of recyclables were removed and 33 river/shoreline miles cleaned. Our oldest volunteer was 80 and our youngest was 7. Not a bad day for the Mokelumne River.

Just in time, the rains are coming! Please help keep our rivers clean by caring for your home's potential runoff. Keep your street's curb and gutters clean. Extend your rain gutter's down spout, allowing rainfall to drain to a lawn/garden area, not paved surfaces.

Lodi's streets drain to the river. Remember, "Only rain down the drain!"

Kathy Grant

Lodi