Environmental Progress - Fall 1999

Rockford, Marion "Sweeps" Organizers Honored

Cleanups of Ohio, Rock rivers bring testimonials, "Superman" awards

Metropolis Mayor Beth Clanahan, left, stands with Jeanne Ison, of Oransco, and Byron Marks as they display the awards certifying that even without tights they are faster than accumulating litter along the Ohio River.

Annual efforts in organizing riverbank cleanups along parts of the Ohio and Rock rivers resulted in expressions of gratitude for two Illinois EPA field representatives this year. During the annual Earth Day dinner sponsored by the Winnebago County Department of Public Health on April 22 at Giovanni's Restaurant in Rockford., Jack M. Adam of the Illinois EPA's Rockford regional office was surprised with a certificate of appreciation recognizing his efforts to clean up the Rock River in the Rockford area. In June, during ceremonies held at Fort Massac State Park, Byron Marks was given the "Superman of Metropolis Award." Marks has coordinated the annual Sweeps on the Illinois reaches of the Ohio River during the 10 years that Illinois has participated in the multi-state event.

Adam was presented with a framed "Certificate of Appreciation" which read: "For activities that serve to further the goals of public health in the community, the Winnebago County Department of Public Health commends your dedicated efforts to improve the state of Environmental Health for the people of Winnebago County." The certificate specifically recognized Adam's organization of the annual "Rock River Sweep" clean up of the Rock River in Winnebago County.

The evening had a second surprise for Adam. When bad weather closed O'Hare airport in Chicago and prevented the arrival of scheduled speaker Ralph Nader, Adam was one of four attendees tapped to fill in. "Of course," he said, "I talked about the Rock River Sweep."

The fifth annual Sweep was scheduled for May 15 but was postponed because the river was at dangerously high levels after the one of the wettest Aprils in area history. For this year only, the Sweep was held in the autumn, when river levels were normally low.

Volunteers checked in for gloves and trash bags before starting to work in the Rock River Sweep.

The 1999 Rock River Sweep was re-scheduled for Sept. 11. Because of the change in dates, special efforts were planned to involve local schools, where classes had resumed by the date of the Sweep.

During the Ohio River Sweep recognition, both Marks and Jeanne Ison, representative of the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission that organizes the sweep along the entire length of the Ohio River, were presented with the Superman awards by Metropolis Mayor Beth Clanahan. Metropolis was one of the six sites for this year's Sweep, the 10th event in which Illinois has been represented.

On a nice summer day slong the Ohio River, even picking up debris can be a fun outdoor activity.

Marks reported that several hundred volunteers turned out at the six sites to pick up litter and debris along the banks of the Ohio. He added that he was unable to pop into a Metropolis phone booth to emerge in appropriate Superman garb for the recognition event, for though Metropolis boasts a large Superman statue on the town square, he couldn't find a single phone booth in the town.