LAKE OZARK, Mo. (March 1, 2022) – Hundreds of lake-area residents are set to put on their gloves and pitch in this month to help keep the region beautiful. Community members are encouraged to sign up in small groups on the day of their choosing to collect trash and debris for the annual Adopt-the-Shoreline spring cleanup. Ameren Missouri, the event's primary sponsor, will provide trash bags and disposal services for those cleaning up around the lake.
“We view the Adopt-the-Shoreline cleanup as a form of ‘cleaning up the front yard.’ If there was a piece of trash on your lawn, you'd pick it up. This is no different,” said long-time volunteer Sandy Triplett. “In addition, joining together for this worthwhile cause has created an increased level of camaraderie between the neighboring homeowners and the local fire department staff who also pitch in and help.”
The Triplett family and their community have been reliable, hardworking volunteers, keeping the area around the 57-mile mark clean for years. Volunteers can contact Ameren Missouri directly at 573.365.9206 to register a cleanup crew and arrange for trash services. Cleanup is best accomplished while lake levels remain low. Beginning around April 1, the lake level generally begins to rise.
"This event is about creating a safe, healthy and beautiful environment that we all can enjoy for generations to come. This year, that includes taking extra precautions," said Bryan Vance, shoreline management supervisor at Ameren. “This region is resilient, and we expect the collective impact of this cleanup project to be just as big as ever.”
Ameren Missouri encourages all those participating in the shoreline cleanup to abide by all health guidelines designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Adopt-the-Shoreline program enables interested groups and residents to “adopt” portions of the Lake of the Ozarks shoreline for litter control. Since 1991, more than 13,000 volunteers have removed more than 5 million pounds of trash from the lake's shoreline. Each adopting group is responsible for safely cleaning a minimum of five shoreline miles and participating in at least two shoreline cleanup events. Volunteers are always welcome and needed to make the program a success.
For more information about the Adopt-the-Shoreline program, visit https://www.ameren.com/missouri/residential/lake-of-the-ozarks/adopt-the-shoreline.
About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.