First-year student Sam Gentle disposes of his bag of glass and cans before taking a lunch break. Gentle said the river clean-up was a great way to get in service hours for his three clubs. “It’s a lot of fun cleaning up the river and it’s always great to get out especially with how nice it is.” he said. (Natalie Hall/TommieMedia)
The women’s basketball team cleaned the river banks as an off-season team bonding activity. “We’ve had a ton of people walk by or bike by and be life ‘Thanks,’ so it does make a difference,” said Bobbi Brendefur, sophomore guard. (Natalie Hall/TommieMedia)
Students collaborated on Saturday, Earth Day and the St. Thomas Day of Service, to clean up a 2.6-mile stretch of the east riverbank. Students worked from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. to collect trash and recycling, making the riverbank a cleaner place for St. Thomas and its neighbors. (Natalie Hall/TommieMedia)
The newly formed Happy Tommies club was full of smiles as they cleaned up the riverbanks on Saturday. They want to show people that they can volunteer and do hard, dirty work with optimism and positivity. (Natalie Hall/TommieMedia)
Rising temperatures bring more St. Thomas students to the Mississippi riverbank to enjoy the outdoors, but on Earth Day they came to clean.
Students spent four hours picking up litter within a 2.6-mile stretch of the east riverbank, between the Lake Street and Ford Parkway bridges, during the 24th biannual Mississippi River Cleanup on April 22, Earth Day.
“We spend a lot of time by the river, so it’s nice to clean up the area we enjoy,” junior Kate Drankoff said, as she cleaned the river with her friends for club service hours.
Many students and clubs used the opportunity for service hours, required for each St. Thomas club and sport.
Members of the Happy Tommies club, formed this year, cheerfully served their neighbors.
They want “to not only serve the community but to show people that we can do it with optimism and with a smile on our face,” junior Tri Vo said.
The women’s basketball team also bonded over the service project and were pleased with the appreciation of the community.
Sophomore guard Bobbi Brendefur said, “We’ve had a ton of people walk by or bike by and [say] ‘thanks,’ so it does make a difference.”
Natalie Hall can be reached at hall0224@stthomas.edu.