Petaluma Students Help Keep Their River Clean

On California Coastal Cleanup Day over 160 volunteers came to help Friends of the Petaluma River and the Sonoma RCD remove trash and debris from the Petaluma River and its feeder creeks. Roughly half of the volunteers were students from local schools including students from John Shribbs, Environmental Sciences and Biology courses at Casa Grande High School and elementary school students from McDowell Elementary.

Genie Praetzel, 3rd grade teacher at McDowell Elementary lead a group of about 10 students and their families along a stretch of the Lynch Creek Trail in order to clean up debris along the creek adjacent to their school. Students were excited to be outside and giving back to their natural environment. They proudly displayed the over 60lbs of trash they removed from their creek.

Overall the day was a huge success with volunteers removing over 1200 lbs. of trash and debris from the Petaluma River. Students and other volunteers were rewarded with a BBQ donated by Whole Foods Market, live music and raffle prizes donated by Camelbak, Petaluma Stand Up Paddle, and Clavey Paddlesports.