Volunteer on land or on the water at OCS!

By Alexandria Moore, OSC summer intern

It’s that time of the year when the days are getting longer, sunnier, and warmer. Here at The Open Space Council this means that we are gearing up for our 51st annual Meramec river cleanup event Operation Clean Stream! Every year we welcome volunteers from all across the region to get involved in this hands-on community effort to clean up the Meramec Watershed. Whether you have a family and are hoping to get your kids outside, you’re a student seeking volunteer opportunities before school starts, a seasoned kayaker who loves the outdoors, or you simply want to help out the community while still having fun, please come out and join us on August 25th and 26th!

“When I first became involved in Stream Team/Operation Clean Stream activities, I relied upon a lot of seasoned veterans to point me in the right direction on what to do. After the first few years, I went from participating to leading and found it very rewarding. I’ve met so many friends through volunteering with Operation Clean Stream.” – Bernie Arnold, 18-year volunteer

We highly encourage volunteers who have their own boats to sign up for the Castlewood to Greentree section for floating on the August 25th. This is a 5-mile stretch down the river and the perfect opportunity to bring out your boat while seeing the region from the water. Shuttling is not be provided.

While we work on many sections floating on the river, we also have volunteer opportunities for folks who prefer to stay on land by helping clean up surrounding parks, trails, and along the shore. Volunteers can sign up for the Meramec State Park on-land cleanup on August 25th to experience Operation Clean Stream in a scenic, natural setting, all while staying dry!

If you want to see what our volunteers were up to during last year’s Operation Clean Stream, check out the photos below.

We hope to see you there! Click here to register today!