Group removes debris from Oak Orchard Creek
Provided photos
RIDGEWAY – Brenden Zukowski, a member of the Oak Orchard Creekers, hauls debris he pulled from the Oak Orchard Creek on Monday.
A group from the Creekers pulled out tires and garbage from the creek, between Slade Road and Townline Road. The creek has become very popular with kayakers.
These Oak Orchard Creek members are pictured with some of the debris they hauled out of the creek on Monday. Pictured from left include Jesse Sponaugle, Brenden Zukowski and Dewey Cox, all of Medina.
Chewy Lee, Richy Lamont and Mike Brendlinger also are members who helped with the cleanup. They and others hunt of trash usually at least once a week. They have put garbage cans along the creek to encourage people to not litter in the water.
Lee started the group and wants to make the creek more inviting to the public.
“The motivation comes from the amount of glass and trash we see all over the side of the river and in the river,” Lee said. “We hold on to our boats and snorkel for glass and trash. We fill our canoes up with trash and float them down to a spot to unload. Any items that are lost we try to return to the owner.”
Jesse Sponaugle found this phone in the creek. One of the iPhones fished out of the water by the group was only two weeks old and still worked. It was returned the owner who donated trash bags for the cleanups.
The Creekers pictures of many of the items they find on their Facebook page. That could include glasses, googles, Smartphones, driver’s licenses, fishing poles and lawn chairs.
The group welcomes more volunteers. Click here to be directed to their Facebook page.
“We have taken several truck loads out of the river and are getting a lot of thanks from the community,” Lee said. “We all grew up on the creek and if we want big changes we need big efforts.”
Dewey Cox pulled this large plastic pipe out of the water.
