Volunteer Based Activities
Walloomsac River Clean-Ups
2003 River Clean-Up
All of this came out of the Walloomsac River
In July 2003, more than fifty volunteers participated in the Walloomsac River Clean-up and Treasures from Trash event, sponsored by BCCD and Vermont Arts Exchange . Trash was collected and removed from a mile-long stretch of river at several pull-out locations, and transported from those locations to a staging area by more than a dozen members of the Bennington County Four-Wheeler Club.
Volunteers were given disposable cameras to document their clean-up experience and the river environment. Other volunteers joined artists from Vermont Arts Exchange that afternoon to make art from the most inspiring trash.
Artist: Matthew Perry
Photos and sculptures were later mounted in an exhibit at the Stark Hose Firehouse Gallery, a former downtown Bennington firehouse converted to display space and artist housing by Vermont Arts Exchange.
2007 River Clean-Up
The coveted 2007 BCCD Gar-badge Award.
In July 2007, about thirty-five volunteers participated in a clean-up of the Walloomsac River. Several drivers and friends from the Bennington Trail Conservancy ATV club, members of the Bennington chapter of the Green Mountain Club, students in the Tutorial Center's Youth Horticulture Program, and other residents of the community participated. The Gar-badge Award (a badge) was given to team four, simply because they lobbied hardest for it!
Green Up Vermont
Do your part to help Green Up VT!
One of BCCD's partner organizations, the Southwestern Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited held their own Walloomsac cleanup in May 2007 to coincide with Green Up Vermont. In fact, the angling garbage-picker-uppers from TU are planning another Walloomsac cleanup for Spring 2008. For details, see their website.
For more information on Green Up Vermont and what you can do to get involved, visit the official Green Up Vermont website.