Community Corner
Tucker Volunteers Keep Rivers Alive
Tucker Civic Association's Fifth Annual Rivers Alive cleanup helped a struggling corner of Tucker get a much needed facelift.
It was the spectacle of all spectacles. The monster tractor tire had been in the South Fork Peachtree Creek by Cowan Road for over five years. Many of TCA's annual volunteers have tried and tried again to get that bad-boy out of the creek, but to no avail.
With an old-fashioned heave-ho, a dozen men pushed the 800 pound, five foot by two foot monster from the creek onto the shoreline. But it’s not over yet.
More rolling, pushing, chaining, and dragging; the monster tire nicknamed “Cara” finally makes its debut back to civilization.
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The cheers were heard by many and the glee felt by all. It was the perfect ending to a perfect morning filled with food, trash, art, recyclables, paint, camaraderie and more.
About 150 dedicated volunteers made it all happen. From Boy and Girl Scout Troops to church groups, they were all there in force ready to work hard to clean our local creek.
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So far over 13 tons of garbage and recyclables has been counted, with another roll-off container filled with tires, including Cara, to be weighed by DeKalb County sanitation later this week.
We expect to break our record from two years ago when we removed over 16 tons of garbage from South Fork Peachtree Creek just a few miles down stream.
Our list of food and drink sponsors this year includes, Firehouse Subs, Roly Poly, Zaxby's, Northlake Festival Chick-fil-A, QuikTrip, Shorty's Pizza, Sonic, and Restoration Life Outreach Ministry.
Local Tucker businesses and restaurants donated coupons for all our volunteers, including, Roly Poly, “Festival” on Main Street, Northlake Thai Cuisine, Blue Ribbon Grill, Parker's on Ponce in Decatur, and McDonald's.
American Chainsaw & 2 Cycle Inc. on Lawrenceville Hwy donated a log-grabber called a pickaroon which came in handy when removing dumped wood.
New this year to Rivers Alive was a sign-making art station where both kids and adults got to play Picasso. The signs will be hung up and down the walking trail at Cowan Road, where dumping has been a major problem.
Maria Sanchez, Manager of Stanford Oaks Apartments located near the cleanup site, has purchased no trespassing, no dumping, and no littering signs to be put up in the back of her complex by the creek.
“People keep throwing trash. They don’t learn, we write letters, they still do it. And it isn’t always residents, people trespass as well, and it’s not healthy. It’s not right,” says Sanchez.
By November all of the Stanford Oaks signs and the signs our Rivers Alive volunteers painted will be up hanging from trees on the trail and behind the apartments.
Take a look at our photos and video!
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