VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Volunteers will gather April 7 to help clean up waterways in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways after historic flooding in 2017.
The even will focus on heavily impacted areas near Eminence and Van Buren.
Many groups will band together to tackle this problem, according to organizers, including park service staff, Ozark Heritage Project, park concessionaires, local chambers of commerce, area schools, youth groups and other volunteers.
Registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the following sites: Watercress Landing in Van Buren, Big Spring Boat Landing, Two Rivers Campground and Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing in Eminence.
The staff at the registration sites will provide trash bags and river bags.
Additional dumpsters and recycling trailers will also be available for trash disposal at Two Rivers and Big Spring.
Participants are encouraged to bring work gloves, and to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the activity.
Those who would prefer to clean up other areas of the park or river that day are welcome to do so, and can register in advance to get trash and river bags for the day by calling 573-323-4806.
The Ozark Heritage Project will sponsor meal and musical entertainment for all participants beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Big Spring Pavilion at Big Spring.
Music will be supplied by a Missouri-based bands.
For more information, call Cathy Runge at 573-323-4806, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also visit the park's Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.
Rick Mansfield, of Ozark Heritage Project, can be reached at 573-663-2269 or emansfield2004@yahoo.com