Lake Murray Residents Clean Up for a Greener Tomorrow
LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Despite the gloomy weather and occasional rain, the community came together on Saturday for the Sixth Annual Keep the Midlands Beautiful Lake and River Sweep. With the support of roughly 200 enthusiastic volunteers from around 30 different organizations, the event aimed to tidy up the beautiful shores of Lake Murray.
Organized to promote community involvement and environmental stewardship, the clean-up highlighted a significant message from the executive director of Keep the Midlands Beautiful, Traude Sander. “You put things down a storm drain at the bottom of your driveway, and it’s going into all of our waterways,” Sander reminded everyone. It served as a gentle nudge to raise awareness about the impact of litter and pollution on the region’s waterways.
A Rainy Day Couldn’t Dampen Spirits
Even though the skies were dreary, the volunteers were all geared up and ready to roll at four different locations around the lake. “It’s obviously important for the community, and I wish more people would come out,” said volunteer Ray Heath. He joined forces with his granddaughter, Emily McCook, for a bonding day spent cleaning up Susie Ebert Island. They shared stories about their experiences while picking up trash, which made the hard work feel like a delightful adventure.
Emily reflected on the island’s usual state, “Most of the islands are always really, really trashy, and we just got to help and clean up.” Their combined efforts added a personal touch to what could have been just a day of tough labor. It was, after all, a means to create lasting memories together while contributing to a greater cause.
The Family That Cleans Together Stays Together
The Settlemyre family also took part in the initiative, demonstrating how community service can truly strengthen family bonds. “It feels good to give back where we live,” said mother Lindsay Settlemyre, showcasing her pride while picking up litter with her kids. “It was a lot of trash but we did it,” remarked sister Adriana Settlemyre, echoing feelings of accomplishment shared by many. Such experiences not only benefit the environment but also foster a sense of unity among neighbors.
A Positive Trend, But More Work Needed
Keep the Midlands Beautiful has shown that these clean-up events are indeed making a difference. Over the past years, the amount of litter scattered throughout the area has steadily decreased. However, Sander emphasized, “If everyone would just take their litter home with them, we wouldn’t have to have large-scale events like this.”
This year’s event had the potential to collect over 9,200 pounds of trash, similar to past events. However, due to the rainy conditions, Keep the Midlands Beautiful predicted that the total haul would likely be lower this time around. The organization kept spirits high, promising to tally up the bag counts from all locations by next week for a final report.
Together for a Cleaner Future
The day concluded with smiles all around and a renewed commitment from participants to keep their community beautiful. The Lake and River Sweep not only showcased the dedication of volunteers but also highlighted the vital importance of being responsible stewards of our environment. Every little bit helps when it comes to ensuring a clean and healthy Lake Murray for generations to come.
Next year, as the event gets closer, residents will surely remember the wet workday and the friendships forged in the spirit of conservation. One thing’s for sure: a cleaner, greener future is brighter when everyone pitches in!
