Spring Creek Cleanup history - 1973 - 2017

  The first on-stream project, a stream bank cleanup, was carried out on March 21, 1973, less than two months after their first meeting of the chapter. Bill Rininger enlisted the support of some local groups along with the Chapter membership for a trash cleanup of Logan Branch. It was very successful and gave the Chapter some well needed publicity. Pictures appeared in the local paper. Ralph Abele, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, was in the area for a meeting and visited the project. In a subsequent letter to the Chapter he stated, "we were all very much refreshed to find that Trout Unlimited is still a great organization for digging in and getting things done and not just talking about them. On behalf of the Fish Commission, and I am sure I speak for thousands of sportsmen throughout the Commonwealth, I want to thank you personally and officially and to wish your new Chapter growth and success."

Little additional cleanup work was done until1980, when Dan Shields organized a large project on upper Spring Creek. With the assistance of his fraternity brothers from Delta Upsilon and a few Chapter members, the area from the Puddintown Road through Neidigh's quarry got a thorough cleanup a few days after opening day of trout season. Later that same fall, Bill Smith organized another cleanup on Spring Creek from Benner Pike to the Rock Road Bridge and along a two mile area below Fisherman's Paradise. The project involved a large group including Chapter members, community volunteers and Boy Scouts. The latter project was done as part of the regular August meeting. For cleanups and other stream projects, Elton Tail and his pickup truck were always available.

Another large cleanup under the leadership of Dan Shields was held in 1981 and cleanups have since developed into a regular activity of the Chapter. Other groups, such as the Clearwater Conservancy, the Lemont Sea Scouts and Tau Phi Delta Fraternity sometimes join in. As time passed new leadership came forward. In 1986 Jim Brady led a large group of volunteers and Chapter members in a cleanup of lower Spring Creek. That year Jim McClure hauled in the biggest catch - a hot water heater and a large industrial conveyor belt. Brady organized another cleanup in 1987 and in 1988Mark Ralston and Bernie Robb led a strong cleanup campaign with rewarding results. The 1989 cleanup, held in early April and led by Vince Norris, Bob Maddox and Ev Shafer, yielded 110 bags of streamside litter. Alpha Phi Omega sent 30 of its members to aid in the work. Tom Doman led the March 1990 effort, well attended by TUers and other volunteer groups and netting many, many bags of trash.

As the size and scope of the Spring Creek Cleanup expanded, beyond portions of Spring Creek, the coordination of volunteers increased in scope to the point that it was beyond the capacity of the Chapter to continue to sponsor and coordinate the entire cleanup effort.  In 1997, the coordination was transferred to the ClearWater Conservancy and was assigned to the Water Resources Management specialist.  Since that time, the scope has expanded to include a significant portion of Centre County and even the Penns Valley area.

 

 

Pictures from Early Spring Creek Cleanup

More Pictures from the Early Cleanup

Pictures from 2014 Cleanup at McCoy

 

1Bob Vierck, Mark Pencak, Scott and Allison Brumbaugh

 

Cleanup - 2015

Bill Palmer, Art Kempf, Jim George, Julie and Lyle Meiser-Rioux

2016 Cleanup

Jim Lanning at the Picnic in 2016