In August, the Ohio River Way and the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) sponsored “river sweep” events on four Ohio River islands in the Louisville area. Eighteen Mile Island, Twelve Mile Island, Six Mile Island and Sand Island. These river cleanups are an essential part of the effort to protect the water quality of the Ohio River. The Ohio River provides clean and safe drinking water and recreation opportunities for millions of people in the region.
Sand Island, one of the beautiful islands within the Falls of the Ohio area, was the last island scheduled on the river sweep. Fifteen volunteers boarded two 30′ voyageur canoes and paddled from the old New Albany boat ramp out to Sand Island, where trash and debris of all types awaited the cleanup crew. Before paddling back to the boat ramp, the crew created a pile of trash bags, debris, a stop light, and about 40 car tires which had been buried in the mud!
FOTO Foundation Executive Director Aimee Conrad-Hill, Board Member Samantha McRae and Former Board Member Mark Young, along with several members and friends of the Foundation, participated in the Sand Island cleanup.
