Volunteers pick up 1,000 pounds of trash from DeGray Lake

It took 312 volunteers just five hours to pick up 1,000 pounds of rubbish from the shorelines of DeGray Lake.

The 46th annual Keeping DeGray Lake Beautiful shoreline cleanup happened Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. About a third of the volunteers were students from local public schools, said KDLB president Russ Johnson.

Areas cleaned included campgrounds managed by DeGray Lake Resort State Parks and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as Skyline Drive and State Park Entrance Road. Additionally, groups worked to clean up the Sunset Trail, and one group took to the lake itself on a pontoon boat to pick up trash on islands.

Volunteers were treated to a lunch provided by Southern Bancorp, and grand prizes included a Yeti cooler, a pair of fishing rod combos, and Army National Guard backpacks.

The most unusual item picked up at this year’s event was a deer antler shed, Johnson said. The event lasted from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Johnson said volunteers are being sought for the 2025 event. For more information, contact him at 501-256-4262.