2010 Creek Cleanup Results
With the help of several newbies, Friends of Little Hunting Creek WAY surpassed last year's results.
This year, at 10 sites from Route 1 down to the mouth of the creek, 117 volunteers picked up 227 bags of trash and 13 tires as well many other weird and weighty items. (That's close to double the 119 bags we picked up last year.)
And now, the results you've been waiting for--who is the champion TRASHMASTER of Little Hunting Creek?
TRASHMASTERS of Little Hunting Creek
The winner and new champeen, the 2010 LITTLE HUNTING CREEK TRASHMASTER is...(Drum roll.)
KARL EGLOFF AND THE CAPTAINS OF CAPTAINS ROW.
This is the first cleanup held by the Stratford-on-the-Potomac Civic Association, and this newbie team picked up a whopping 53 bags of trash, 5 tires, and a propane tank. Their awe-inspiring debut performance wins them the 2010 title of TRASHMASTERS OF LITTLE HUNTING CREEK. Congratulations! What a great addition to the Little Hunting Creek cleanup effort!
Runner up: DAVID GAHART'S CREW.
They picked up 40 bags of trash, a tire, a wheel, sheet of plywood, propane tank, a freezer, and tricycle. Another new cleanup team, and they WAY surpassed expectations. (PLUS, the Gahart Crew is awarded the coveted Improving Conditions for Wildlife Award.)
After the cleanup.
Second runner up: TOM AND KAREN FAHY, working the Wagon Wheel Oxbow, turned in their usual stellar performance, collecting 35 bags of trash, a tire, the front end of a tricycle, a shovel head, and a wash tub. Way to go, Tom and Karen! But--in a shocking turnaround, Fahy, TRASHMASTER of the past two cleanups, has been toppled from his position as defending champion by two newbies!! It must be said, however, that he claimed he wasn't even participating in this year's cleanup because he's benched with back injuries and faces imminent surgery.
And, third runner up: MORT ISLER AND THE BRADY STREET IRREGULARS, who (with a few ringers) covered the Brady Street Reach, collecting 25 bags of trash, a propane tank, 2 tires, a plastic child's car, and a hula hoop. The Irregulars have been on the job more years than any of us. Great work, Mort, Vi, Joe, and Richard!
BOERTLEIN AND THE CUB SCOUTS, who collected 22 bags of trash, a fender, an air conditioner cover, motorcycle helmet, lawn chair and tire on the grounds of the Little Hunting Creek pump station,
WHITESELL AND FRIENDS, with 21 bags of trash, a tire, and a plywood sheet collected from the Stirrup marsh,
LARKIN AND THE GIRL SCOUTS, collecting 16 bags and a big pile of honeysuckle from the Northern VA Conservation Trust site,
PAULNBETS, collecting 10 bags, a 3 hp motor, and a tire at Shaw Park, and
CULLEN AND GIRLS, collecting 5 bags on Stockton Parkway.
Alice Ferguson Foundation, for sponsoring the Potomac watershed cleanup and providing those terrific bust-proof bags
Stratford Landing Citizens Association, for participating in and publicizing the event and sponsoring the rain barrel prizes for the two Stratford volunteers who picked up the most trash.
Stratford-on-the-Potomac Citizens Association, which turned out in large numbers for their first creek cleanup.
Girl Scout Troop 2459, led by Judy Joyce.
Cub Scout Pack 1509, Den 4, led by Karen Zaragoza.
Boy Scout Troop 993, coordinated by Christa Cook.
Matt Thompson's Mount Vernon High School class in chemistry and environmental science.
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, for providing access to their site and participating in the cleanup.
Fairfax County, for providing access to the Little Hunting Creek Pump Station and for collecting ALL that trash promptly on Monday morning.
SLCA Prize Winners!
Leading Stratford Landing trash collectors and contenders for the Trashmaster rain barrel prizes are:
Beate Whitesell and Roberta Cullen were last year's rain barrel winners and, since contest rules prohibit winning two years in a row, Celia Boertlein and Kim Larkin are awarded this year's rain barrel prizes!! Good work and way to go, ladies! Congratulations!
Improving Conditions for Wildlife Award
Another winner: this goose pair will no longer have to nest atop a heap of plastic bottles, thanks to the Gahart Crew, recipients of this year's Improving Conditions for Wildlife Award.
And, finally, the REAL winners: those of us who love the creek and love to see its beauty unmarred by trash. Every year we get closer to having cleanup coverage of all segments of the creek from Route 1 down to its mouth. Of course, there's plenty more trash every day, so we're glad to have all these fresh young volunteers with strong backs and enthusiasm.
Congratulations and thanks to ALL who participated!