Area residents joined forces on Earth Day, Saturday to clean up trash along the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe. It’s an annual tradition that has been going on for 26 years.

“It started as a festival,” explained Shelli Holland, Jim Thorpe Earth Day Organizer. “But with COVID, the festival came to an end. But we kept the tradition of the cleanup along the Lehigh River.”

Holland expected around 40 volunteers during the course of the morning, and they were treated to sandwiches at lunch time.

Volunteers received work gloves, safety vests, and trash bags, donated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. They picked up trash along the river banks from the area near Turkey Hill down to the area adjacent to the Jim Thorpe Market.

Several people picked up some discarded trash in the Josiah White Park, and one volunteer named Mike picked up several discarded tires along the Mansion House Hill.

“If we see trash,” Holland added, “we make it our mission to tackle that. It’s something everyone can do. At least take an hour or two out of your day and go pick up a bag of trash. If you’re on a hiking trail that you always hike or walk your dog, take a trash bag along. It really makes a difference.”

Residents also gathered in Nesquehoning and throughout Monroe County to pick up litter.

If you were unable to attend the Jim Thorpe clean up or any of the others throughout the area, you can have one in your own community any time of the year. Visit the website www.KeepPABeautiful.org to learn how you can host an clean up event.