What Belongs in a River (or not)

by Katrina Rhodes

            This was no ordinary river cleanup.  Saturday, September 13, 2008 was no ordinary day on the White River either.  How often can you say you were one of 1700 locals doing one activity?  Now imagine that that activity is part of a 30-mile restoration of your very water source.  Roughly 400 people came out from Muncie alone to join the neighboring counties in this enormous joint effort; about one hundred of those came from Ball State University; of those, a majority came from Jarmila Popovicova's NREM 101 and introductory water resources classes.  As a matter of fact, "JP," as she is fondly known in the department, was awarded a certificate from the event coordinators, Muncie Clean and Beautiful, for having the largest group of volunteers show up to work.  The volunteers found it more exciting than a usual litter cleanup because it was rather an archaeological dig.  Fifty-odd tires, televisions, halves of cars, bikes, shopping carts, and a water heater that proceeded to sink a cleanup canoe were just a few of the "gems" found.   "I had a blast," one gal from the NREM 101 class noted afterwards.  During some fun and environmental appreciation, the Muncie crews picked up an astounding 6.7 tons of that-which-does-not-belong-in-a-river, our river.  Jim Reese of Muncie Clean and Beautiful was pleased to announce this success as the first of an annual tradition!  Way to go, Muncie!