Great American Cleanup

On Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteer for the Great American Cleanup to clean, beautify and improve roadsides, shores, parks and neighborhoods in Manatee County. Adopt-A-Highway, Road and Shore groups are encouraged to clean their adopted sites starting at 9 a.m. Volunteers with boats and canoes are needed to help in the Upper Manatee River cleanup effort and to transport other participants and their collected trash. Free boat launch and canoes courtesy of Ray’s Canoe Hideaway for those participating in the cleanup on a first-come, first-serve basis. Meet at 9 a.m. at Ray’s Canoe Hideaway at 1289 Hagle Park Road on the north side of Upper Manatee River Road. For directions, see www.rayscanoehideaway.com. Bring work gloves and a cooler, and the drinks will be supplied. For more information, call Mark and Laura Stukey at 941-747-3909. Other volunteers can help by checking in at 9 a.m. at any of the check-in centers posted at www.manateebeautiful.com. Bring gloves, sunscreen and wear closed toe shoes. For more information, contact Keep Manatee Beautiful at keep@manateebeautiful.com or 941-795-8272.