Submitted by MWA
The Morse Waterways Association’s (MWA) 2023 Lake Cleanup got an early start this year, thanks to the time and energy of volunteers from Duke Energy.
Mike Berry photo provided
On Friday, July 14, the Duke Energy crew worked to remove all the debris around the town docks. This was a major task since the area had collected a very large number of logs, sticks, trash, floats, etc. It took several hours but the result was extraordinary. The group was even able to provide a boat to tow the large logs to Red Bridge to be removed and cut, thanks to the support from the town of Cicero.
Lake Cleanup on Saturday, July 15 turned out to be a the most challenging day in the history of Lake Cleanup! When we first arrived at Red Bridge Park it began to drizzle but not enough to avoid removing the logs that had been left from the prior day. Then the rain increased and, after an hour and a half and a forecast of rain for the remainder of the morning, we decided to end the project for the day.
Unfortunately, the forecast was not correct and, later in the morning, the rain stopped and volunteers began bringing logs to Red Bridge Park, only to find that no one was available to remove them. So, an emergency call was made to the MWA members, and, with the help of some volunteers, we were able to pull the logs onto the shore (using manpower and truck) since the tractor provided by the town was no longer available.
Mike Berry photo provided
Finally, on Monday, the MWA members and some more volunteers worked with the town crew to remove the logs as well as unload the barge that was delivered by Thomas Docks. The logs were loaded into the dump trucks and taken to Green Cycle for processing. The result of the efforts on Friday, Saturday, and Monday was 10 loads for Green Cycle and a dumpster of 10 dock floats of trash.
Photo provided by Mark LaBarr
For future Lake Cleanup Days, taking a lesson from this year, we will be available at Red Bridge until noon, regardless of the weather conditions. Thank you to everyone who supported the event this year and thank you for your patience and cooperation considering the conditions.
A special note of appreciation is extended to the volunteers from Duke Energy for their work on Friday, to Terry Cooper and Shannon Fiddler from Cicero Utilities for helping on multiple days, to Michael Berry for taking photographs, and to all who volunteered. Thanks to Dave Vanette and Art Hall for making it all happen.
Another note of recognition goes to Jimmie Hunter from the Cicero Parks Department for his cooperation and understanding in dealing with the special conditions, the multiple days, and the damage that was done to the park property.
About MWA
The Morse Waterways Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by donations from those who use the reservoir. Donations can be made to Morse Waterways Assoc., P.O. Box 422, Cicero, IN 46034; or by using PayPal as found at morseh2o.org.