2011 Creek Cleanup Results

This year, 66 volunteers working at nine sites picked up 255 bags of trash, 2 tires, 4 shopping carts, and many other debris. That's fewer volunteers, but more bags, than we got in 2010.

2011 TRASHMASTERS OF LITTLE HUNTING CREEK

Honorary recognition is awarded annually to the team that collects the most bags, and this year's award winners are...

THE FAHY DUO: CHAMPION TRASHMASTERS!

The Fahys snatched back the title after last year's loss by collecting an astonishing 62 bags of trash (and a couple of deck chairs and an albino plastic flamingo) on the Wagon Wheel oxbow and the point. It's good to have one of our geezer teams back in top form, proving that replacement knees can do the job.

THE DELEGATE AND THE GIRL SCOUTS: 1ST RUNNER UP

Young blood! (And young backs.) That's what the Friends of Little Hunting Creek need, and Kathy Lehner and the Girl Scouts delivered them, with a stellar performance in their first-time participation in the Little Hunting Creek cleanup.

It was great to have them on board this year. The Creekside Village Girl Scouts and leaders are intrepid, creative, and determined workers who did their mightiest to get at the monster trash dam downstream of the bridge. The Girl Scouts and their leaders dove in (some literally) in a valiant effort to retrieve the trash.

Delegate Surovell (shown here with his prize, a bass drum, unfortunately no longer playable) and daughter Eva also delivered. Eva told her grandmother ALL about it: "You wouldn't believe it, Grandma. I found 4 grocery carts and I pulled out 5 yucky diapers!" Together, the Girl Scouts and Surovells picked up 40 bags of trash, a bass drum, a street sign, a deconstructed bicycle, table legs, lawnmower bag, a porn CD entitled "Black Booty," and–unlikeliest of all–an unbroken, unchipped crystal champagne glass.

MAROVELLI AND THE COUNTY WORKERS: 2ND RUNNER UP

The pros picked up 37 bags of trash, a tire, chair, 3 shopping carts, sheet of plywood, and lots of other weighty debris. We are mighty glad to have you guys working with us. You are the best! (well, almost as good as the Girl Scouts). As always, the county did a great job of promptly picking up of the heaps of bags and big, heavy, waterlogged debris at all our sites.

THE BRADY STREET IRREGULARS: 3RD RUNNER UP

Mort Isler and the Irregulars nearly edged the county, despite the county workers' advantage in numbers and youth! They picked up 35 bags of trash, a large waterlogged cable spool, and a child's riding truck. They also picked up some hot new recruits, deepening their bench for next year. Stay tuned...never count these guys out of the TRASHMASTER Tourney.

GAHART'S CREW: THE IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR WILDLIFE AWARD

For the second year in a row, Gahart's Crew has won this coveted award. David reports that, after his team picked up 22 bags of trash and a shopping cart, several deer wandered by. Usually, when deer cross the marsh there's a crunching sound as they step on all the plastic bottles and cans. Instead, it was quiet when they walked. They turned their heads toward him and looked, as if to say, "Thank you."

THE LITTLE HUNTING CREEK IMMERSION AWARD

Only occasionally awarded, it goes to Zelda Shute, who fell into the creek as she valiantly tried to reach the trash dam below the Janna Lee Avenue bridge.

Thanks to Alice Ferguson Foundation and all who support our efforts, especially the site leaders and volunteers:

Kathy Lehner and troop leaders and members of Girl Scout troops 922, 716, 211, and 364

Quent Marovelli and county workers of the Solid Waste Division

Delegate Scott Surovell and his daughter Eva

Adam Draper, leading the cleanup at the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust site

Karl Egloff and the Captains of Captains Row, last year's CHAMPION TRASHMASTERS, at the mouth of the creek

Paul Siegel (my stalwart hero) and Kirk Daehnke working the pumping station bight

Beate Whitesell, Patrick Fogarty and friends, working on Stirrup cove

Roberta Cullen and girls, working on the main stem

ANNOUNCING A NEW COMPETITION FOR NEXT YEAR—TALES OF TRASH!

Who can come up with the best story explaining all the items found on your site? For example, Tom Fahy offers this account of the items retrieved by the Girl Scouts: "Maybe the drum was used to set a nice rhythm for "Black Booty," and the champagne glass was used to set the mood."