BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On Thursday, September 19th; Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 28th, Village Creek Society (VCS) held its 8th annual Fall Clean-up with Alabama Power Renew Our Rivers and other partners.
During the in-creek Clean-up on September 19- September 20 and the out-of-creek Clean –up on Saturday, September 28, a combined total of 329 volunteers cleaned Village Creek and the surrounding areas. Our volunteers removed a total of 11.23 tons of debris and other items from the creek and surrounding area. Our annual Clean-ups, both Spring and Fall, have resulted in a reduced amount of debris and other items removed from the creek each time we clean!
Our lunch this year for the Saturday Cleanup was successful with the generosity of our sponsors: Vulcan Materials Company, Marino’s Grocery Store, and Mr. Michael E. Woodruff.
Thanks to our volunteers from the following organizations that joined us on September 19 and September 20 for our in-creek Clean-up:
Birmingham Fire and Rescue, Department of Public Works, Jefferson County Commission, Vulcan Materials Company, Arcadis-US, Village Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant, Black Warrior River Keeper
Thanks to our volunteers from the following schools and organizations that joined us on September 28 for our out-of-creek Clean-up:
Wenonah High School, Minor High School, Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Ramsay High School, Parker High School, Jackson Olin High School, Homewood High School, Woodlawn High School, UAB TASC/ Litter Squad, Miles College Department of Natural Science and Mathematics, Phi Beta Lambda (Lawson State Community College Chapter), Kappa Beta Delta(Lawson State Community College Chapter), Birmingham City Council, Olivia’s House, Ensley Neighborhood, South Pratt Neighborhood, North Pratt Neighborhood, Ensley Neighborhood
About Village Creek Society: Village Creek Human and Environmental Justice Society, Inc. (VCS)
#1in the 1980s followed by Coalition #2 in 1996 to address extensive flooding in our minority populated communities in the Village Creek Watershed. VCS pro bono engineer, Mr. Richard S. Woodruff, knew how to control the flooding. The three projects that he introduced are: 1) Gabion Wall from avenue F to avenue W in Ensley, 2) replace avenue F Bridge that has 12 piers with a single span bridge 3) place the sewer pipe across the creek at avenue F under the creek water. Until funds are secured for these designs, VCS will continue to partner with Birmingham Public Works and volunteers to 1) hold Clean-ups twice a year; both in-creek and out-of-creek 2) remove the creek banks that erode into the creek.
Since the first clean-up held in 2005 over an eight year period, a total of 90 tons of debris and other items have been removed by Village Creek Society from Village Creek the mission of VCS is to improve the Village Creek Environment for it s entire length of 44 miles to benefit over 300,000 or more residence, businesses, schools, and churches in its watershed. There are three sections of the 44 mile watershed:
1) Headwater Section: From Roebuck to East Lake
2) Mid Section: From North Birmingham to Ensley/South Pratt to Mulga
3) Lower Section: From Bayview to Black Warrior River
