MLIRD hosts Lakeshore Cleanup this weekend

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake residents have the opportunity to spruce up parts of the lake's shoreline this weekend during the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District's Lakeshore Cleanup.

This year's event will be held on at 9 a.m. Saturday. Participants will meet at the Moses Lake Fire Department Station 1, located at 701 E. Third Ave.

Volunteers will be given a map and a designated area to clean and will head out from the fire station to pick up garbage and other debris.

MLIRD Director Ron Covey said the cleanup typically draws about 175 to 200 people on a good year. He said he hopes to see the same amount of people attend this year's cleanup.

"MLIRD is not only responsible for water quality issues at the lake but we're also responsible for the surrounding shoreline that's not privately owned," he said. "It's important to us that garbage, ground animals, and other things that have been tossed away by the public during the season be picked up."

Covey said volunteers will pick up trash in about seven designated areas of the lake. MLIRD will provide the trash bags, he said.

The cleanup should take about two to three hours, said Covey.

"We provide everything for them and they bring the trash back to the fire station where we put it all in a big disposal truck," he said.

Covey said several sponsors have donated funds and other items for the cleanup. Besides trash bags, Covey said vendors have made it possible for MLIRD to provide volunteers with coffee, hot chocolate and muffins before the cleanup.

Groups or individuals interested in attending the cleanup can pre-register by calling the MLIRD office by Thursday afternoon at 509-765-8716.