The Inside Press is again pleased to shine a spotlight on Sweep, the annual mega volunteer event sponsored by Riverkeeper.org, which ‘brings together science, law, and advocacy to heal the Hudson River and safeguard drinking water.”
With those worthy goals, is it any surprise that Sweep, now entering its 14th year, attracts volunteers who care enough about the Hudson River to devote a day in May to remove trash and debris from its shores and tributaries?
LET’S GO, VOLUNTEERS
The Sweep event attracts both families and singles. This past May 4, a record-breaking number of everyday people — 2,720 all totaled — came out. Ages ranged from under a year old to 90. Katie Leung, the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for Riverkeeper.org, estimates that 600 volunteers were new to Sweep.
While those numbers alone are impressive, even more impressive is the level of commitment demonstrated by the stalwart band of local volunteers.
Leung says, “When volunteers get together at these cleanup sites, there is a sense of community building and partnership that drives them to pick and dig up every single piece of litter and debris that pollutes the river or the tributaries. They want to do a good job cleaning their sites and leave them better than when they found them.”
Adds Char Weigel, Sweep leader from Sleepy Hollow: “The beauty of Sweep is not just that thousands of people work together to improve the health of our Hudson. It is that thousands of strangers, who might never otherwise meet, find common purpose and a shared soul for a few hours every year on a spring morning.”
Organizing and coordinating Sweep takes a lot of hard work. Leung says: “However, I am not alone in this effort, and I’m lucky to have amazing support from the numerous Sweep leaders, as well as my Riverkeeper colleagues. Sweep leaders are a critical part of the event, making sure their volunteer groups are safe while having fun.”
A SITE TO BEHOLD
If anyone doubts Sweep is a large-scale endeavor, try coordinating 150 project sites throughout what’s called “the New York City and the Hudson River Watershed.” Each year, Sweep has added more and more sites. This year, the southernmost location was in Staten Island, and the northernmost was in the Adirondacks.
Leung says, “One of the biggest hurdles is making sure that all the sites get the volunteers that they need. This year, we’re thinking of new ways to recruit more volunteers to some of the less busy sites.”
Given the “generous support from the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, Riverkeeper expanded Sweep into an ongoing program, conducting cleanups, native tree plantings, and invasive species removals throughout the year,” according to Leung. On top of expanding Sweep, Riverkeeper has given it a new name: Sweep + .
The ultimate goal is “to continue to grow the number of project sites, volunteers, and impacts each year until Sweep+ is the largest volunteer clean-up program in New York State.“
No update on Sweep 2024 would be complete without hearing about the 27 tons of trash that were collected. In addition to the typical debris like cigarette butts, tires, paper, and plastic, this year’s notables included a VHS tape of “My Cousin Vinny” in surprisingly “perfect” condition; mannequin legs; a playground set; lottery and parking tickets; a metal safe; and a set of house keys.
PLAYING A ROLE
Let’s face it. Volunteering isn’t for everybody. If that describes you, Leung suggests other helpful things readers can do to protect the Hudson River, along with helping Riverkeeper:
- Stay informed on the latest clean water fights and ways to take action
- Become a riverkeeper by donating and becoming a member
- Get involved in community science by collecting water quality data at a tributary or waterfront
- Report a polluter by submitting a report to the Riverkeeper Watchdog team
- Shop for Riverkeeper gear on their website to support their work.
Everyone can play a role in helping to safeguard our precious water resources.
Leung is correct when she says, “Sweep has so many moving parts and can get pretty hectic, but what overshadows that is the untiring and unrelenting commitment I’ve seen from everyone caring for the river.”
Let’s hope that Sweep+ 2025 proves to be another record-breaking event!
Most astonishing of all, volunteers collected 2,056 bags of trash, 2.7 tons of recycling, and two tons of tires, as well as other large debris including such things as couches, toilets, metal pipes, plywood, barrels, ropes, and foam blocks.
Monica Dietrich, Senior Membership Manager, who stepped in to support the volunteer effort until a new Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator was hired, said that Riverkeeper Sweep is “way more than a single day of service for the Hudson River. It represents a collaborative effort between the Riverkeeper team and local partners,” people who care about their communities and want to help in some way.
Participating in Sweep does not require membership in Riverkeeper. But joining Riverkeeper is easy. In fact, a donation as small as a dollar snags you a membership in this worthwhile organization. That membership, Monica said, “helps to make it possible for us to protect and restore the Hudson River as well as to safeguard drinking water sources.”