THE ISSUE: Friends of the Edisto
OUR OPINION: Volunteers play important role in protecting river
The river has very good friends.
By T&D Staff
The organization Friends of the Edisto was born more than five years
ago with the goal of being an advocate for the historic blackwater
river that runs through the heart of our region. Involvement has been
impressive. Accomplishments are noteworthy.
More than talk, however, the people with FRED put their feet on the
river's banks and take to the water in personal efforts to foster a
cleaner environment.
FRED annually holds Stewardship Day for the purpose of promoting river
cleanup. This year the organization has decided to expand the effort
to multiple days.
The first for 2005 was held Saturday, with volunteers from Orangeburg
and several Lowcountry counties participating.
The main branch of the river was cleaned from Highway 21 down to Mas
Old Field landing. The effort was headed by Howard Bridgeman. The group
was both on foot at the landings and in multiple canoes on the river.
The North Edisto was cleaned from Kill Kare landing near Branchville
down to Zig Zag landing by a group headed by Alec Gillespie of Neeses,
president of FRED. The group was in a flotilla of several kayaks and
cleaned both the river itself and the landings.
"The two cleanup groups removed hundreds of pounds of pollution-causing
debris from the Edisto River," Gillespie said in encouraging support
for the next Stewardship Day. It is scheduled for July 11 when the
cleanup target will be the river and landings from Jones Bridge Landing
near North to Baughman's Landing near Orangeburg.
Gillespie and others in FRED have encouraged Orangeburg residents to
see the river for themselves. They contend the value of the resource
is taken for granted and cannot be fully appreciated until a person
spends time on the river. Cleaning up at the same time is giving something
positive as a measure of appreciation.
Thanks FRED for the focus you put on the river, and for direct efforts
to protect it.
To volunteer for Stewardship Day or for information about FRED, contact
Gillespie at 803-793-4101.
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