Editor:

I just wanted to send out a big thank-you to all those who participated and supported our efforts to clean up Marsh Creek in Oakley this past Saturday, April 30.

Approximately 100 volunteers from the Marsh Creek Ward of the Oakley Latter Day Saints Church came out for Mormon Helping Hands Day. Mormon Helping Hands Day is a statewide day of service where thousands of members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) participate in a day of service throughout California.

Volunteers of all ages helped conduct a trash assessment for City of Oakley storm drain permitting requirements as well as cleaned up over a mile and a half of creek from Cypress Road downstream to the mouth of Marsh Creek opening into the San Joaquin Delta. Despite the strong winds, it was a beautiful day and there were lots of smiley faces!

The result of the cleanup was a little over 1 ton of trash being removed from Marsh Creek and its banks. Trash consisted mainly of plastic bags, cans, paper and general types of trash and construction materials. The most interesting finds were a car bumper, a bicycle and mailbox. Data from the trash assessment will help the City of Oakley and Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed (FOMCW) determine the sources of trash in Marsh Creek so that we can make an effort to reduce, if not eliminate, those sources of trash.

Following the cleanup, many of the volunteers participated in a picnic at nearby Cypress Park.

FOMCW wishes to thank all of the agencies that helped support Saturday’s efforts, including Contra Costa County Flood Control District, Contra Costa Clean Water Program, East Bay Regional Park District, the City of Oakley and the California Department of Water Resources.

Funding for the coordination of this project came from the Contra Costa County Community Stewardship Grant, the Department of Conservation Watershed Coordinator Grant and the continued financial support from REI that promotes our efforts to provide stewardship volunteering activities to our community. Terracare Landscape provided staff support and provides year-round support for such FOMCW activities.

FOMCW would like to send a warm thank-you to the folks of the Marsh Creek Ward for their enthusiastic support and hard work. A particular pat on the back goes to Phil Somerhalder and his organizing team from the Marsh Creek Ward. We look forward to future projects.

Diane Burgis, Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed