Although Boise is still seeing ninety-degree days, fall is beginning to creep in as summer says farewell to the Treasure Valley. One of the tell-tale signs of summer’s departure? The second annual Boise River cleanup. Over 230 volunteers arrived at Idaho River Sports around 9:30 a.m. for the event on Sunday, marking the official end of float season.
The event was organized by Idaho Rivers United, 94.9 The River and Idaho River Sports. These local businesses called on citizens of Boise to help clean a large section of the Boise River, spanning from Barber Park to the Garden City Public Library.
Ren Lawson, Development Director for Idaho Rivers United, explained how the event came to fruition last year. 94.9 The River Radio Station approached Idaho Rivers United with the intent of reviving a joint cleanup event that had fizzled out decades ago. The first event resulted in a massive success, as 180 people attended and picked up roughly 850 pounds of trash.
“This cleanup is just a huge opportunity for our local community to really invest in our local river and help take care of it and steward it,” said Lawson.
Around 10 a.m., after participants checked in, the organizers sent volunteers in groups to clean different sections of the river. Boise River Raft and Tube employees were tasked with collecting the trash from various volunteer sites.
Several divers also attended, collecting garbage and recyclables from bodies of water surrounding Barber Park.
Lindsey Payner, volunteer and engagement manager at Idaho Rivers United, confirmed that over 1,800 pounds of garbage were cleared from the river by the volunteers — more than double last year’s efforts.
15-year-old Aniston Lee attended as a volunteer with her family and shared her enthusiasm for cleaning the river.
“It’s important mostly for the wildlife, but also for people who just come here for the views, to keep it nice and clean,” Lee said. “We found a lot of alcohol bottles mainly, and a lot of diapers – which was weird.”
Around noon, volunteers and organizers reconvened at a party hosted by Idaho River Sports to celebrate the volunteers’ hard work.
“I think it encourages a lot of people to come because it’s fun,” Payner said about the celebration. “One of the most powerful things about volunteering is making friends and socializing with others.”
The party included live music, food, games and a raffle for a paddleboard and mattress. Several vendors and local businesses contributed to hosting the event, such as Dive Magic, Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters, Boise Co-Op Market, Cascade River Gear and Barbarian Brewing.
“It’s important for local businesses to get involved in this because it shows people that they’re dedicated to making a difference locally,” Payner said. ”It really inspires people.”
