By Katie Holmes, AmeriCorps Member, Black Warrior Riverkeeper
A few weeks ago was AmeriCorps Week, which celebrates the contributions of millions of Americans serving as AmeriCorps members. Black Warrior Riverkeeper hired me in October 2021 to focus on volunteer engagement and expand volunteer cleanups across the watershed.
During AmeriCorps week, I sat down with Jason Miller, an AmeriCorps Member with our partner Cahaba Riverkeeper. We had initially planned to celebrate by paddling out on the Cahaba River but dreary weather forced us to change our plans. Instead, we celebrated by eating a hot meal and spending time reflecting on our service so far, what we’ve learned, and what we’re hoping to accomplish during the remainder of our service terms.
Much like the river systems of Alabama, AmeriCorps members are all interconnected. No matter where we serve, what our backgrounds are, or what it is we do day to day, we all have a common mission – to strengthen and support our communities.
2022 is shaping up to be a busy year for Black Warrior Riverkeeper and I’m excited to be a part of the expansion of our volunteer cleanup program. In the first three months of 2022, we have already removed 13,759 pounds of trash from the watershed – almost half of our total for 2021!
If you would like to get involved or know of a place that needs a cleanup, please contact us at [email protected]. If you would like to volunteer at one of our cleanups, please check out our Eventbrite page and sign up for our volunteer newsletter! Thank you, partners and volunteers!