Volunteers spent the first full day of fall collecting litter along the shores of one of East Tennessee’s cleanest lakes.
Crews cleaned up the shorelines along the five counties Norris Lake covers. In Union County, three groups left from Hickory Star Resort and Marina. There were volunteers from local churches, Boy Scout troops, marinas and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
“No one wants to see the piles of trash along the shore, plus it’s not good for the environment,” Andrew Patchen said. He started volunteering with the cleanup six years ago as a Boy Scout. Now, as an adult, he continues to help.
“Since we have been doing this a long time, we’ve seen that this makes a big difference. It’s gotten a lot better,” he said.
Crews found a rusted mattress, Styrofoam blocks, drift wood and chunks of metal. In the past, volunteers have discovered toilets, water heater and air conditioners along the shore.
Related: Volunteers clean up the Clinch River
“I don’t understand why there’s a mattress here. It’s probably been sitting here for a few years and the materials have actually disintegrated and floated off,” Kim Richnafsky, group organizer said.
The volunteers’ goal is to keep Norris Lake clean for future generation. They meet twice a year to clean up the shores and are always looking for more volunteers.
If you want to help clean up Norris Lake, you can check the calender of events for volunteer opportunities here. Participants are provided bags for cleaning up.