On Saturday, September 26, a record 138 volunteers joined the Gateway Arch Volunteer Program for National Public Lands Day!

Our volunteers, along with our partners at the National Park Service, Republic Services, Living Lands & Waters, Missouri Stream Team, the City of St. Louis, Brightside STL, and Great Rivers Greenway, came ready to work. Together, they left the St. Louis Riverfront clean and welcoming for the community, out-of-town visitors, and wildlife to enjoy.

Together, the group collected nearly 750 pounds of material from the riverfront. Most of it was trash (~650 lbs.), but volunteers also pulled out 33 lbs. of plastic, 30 lbs. of mixed metals, 22 lbs. of glass, 8 lbs. of aluminum, and just over 1 lb. of mixed paper and cardboard.

Thousands of pounds of trash end up in the Mississippi River each year, and what happens along its banks affects a large portion of the country. We’re proud to do our part to keep that debris out of the current, and numbers like these show what a community can do when it shows up. Every bag filled and each piece of debris removed made a visible difference along the water’s edge.

Thank you to everyone who gave part of their weekend to care for this place. We can’t wait to see you at the next one!