Morse Lake cleanup set for July 16 in Cicero

The logs volunteers pull from Morse Lake will be cut, loaded into dump trucks, and hauled away by the Town of Cicero, after which they will be turned into mulch at Green Cycle in Noblesville. (Photos provided)

The Morse Waterways Association (MWA) is organizing its 18th annual lake cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16. Volunteers are needed along the waterfront, in the water at the shoreline, and on boats and personal watercraft to gather the debris and bring it to Cicero’s Red Bridge Park for removal. Boats and personal watercraft of any type are needed and appreciated.

All residents are encouraged to remove and haul logs and debris from in front of their property or elsewhere to the southernmost dock at Red Bridge Park, just south of the kayak launch. They may be delivered as early as Thursday, July 14, and must be securely tied to the dock or shore so they cannot float out. (These CANNOT be logs or debris that are freshly cut and placed in the reservoir.)

Volunteers will pull logs out of the lake and use chain saws to cut the logs into manageable pieces to be placed in the dump trucks and hauled away by the Town of Cicero. These logs will be taken to Green Cycle in Noblesville and recycled into mulch. Other volunteers will work along the shoreline to remove smaller tree limbs and debris and load these onto a trailer to be hauled to the Red Bridge location or to the town burn site.

Volunteers should wear old clothes and footwear and plan to get wet and dirty while making a remarkable difference that can be seen and felt. The annual cleanup, conducted the third Saturday in July, is a collaborative effort among the MWA, Town of Cicero, and many volunteers who take part in the effort each year. To participate in this half-day beautification effort that benefits all who live around the lake, or for more information, contact Art Hall (arthall870@aol.com), Dave Vanette (vanetteda@hotmail.com) or info@morseh2o.org.

This year, the cleanup will benefit from a special effort by a boy scout (working on becoming an Eagle Scout) and friends who will attempt to remove as much metal from the lake as possible. This is just another way to improve the quality of the reservoir.

About Morse Waterway Association

Morse Waterways Association (MWA) is a non-profit organization founded in May 2005 to serve the Morse Reservoir community. MWA supports the 1,400 homeowners living on the reservoir, the surrounding community, and the weekend recreational boaters and fishermen. To get involved or for more information, go to morseh2o.org.