The 39th annual Great Texas River Cleanup 

By Bianca Thomas

News Reporter 

SAN MARCOS — On March 2, the 39th annual Great Texas River Cleanup was held and volunteers went out to help their community. 

The Great Texas River Cleanup was started by the Texas River Protection Association and is coordinated by Tom Goynes. Sink Springs, Sessom Creek, Willow Creek, Purgatory Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Blanco River and Plum Creek were all locations included in the river cleanup this year.

Many people came together to volunteer for this year’s cleanup, expanding from the river proper to the upper river watershed. Even canoeists and kayakers did their part in cleaning up the river. “These are canoers down there who have been a part of the Texas Water Safari, the canoe kayak race and other experienced canoeists and kayakers,” said Amy Thomaides, Community Enhancement Initiatives Manager.

Thomaides has been involved in coordinating the river cleanups for 11 years and has lived in the city for 31 years; all the trash coming into her community and the environment hurts for her to see. 

“I love San Marcos, I love my job and I love the environment,” said Thomaides. “So being able to provide opportunities to people, for people to be able to get outside and appreciate our natural environment here because it [the environment] is so unique, it’s [the cleanup] just very satisfying.”

Being a part of this cleanup allows you to get a better understanding of how trash affects your environment and how it [trash] travels across your environment. Being able to catch it [trash] before ending up in the river is also doing a great service for the environment. Also being able to see many different aspects of the community come together and interact also makes the experience worthwhile for many.