More than 120 people were on hand as the Adopt-the-Shoreline organization at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks held a recognition dinner, March 4, to kick off the 2010 Spring Shoreline Beautification Cleanup. Program volunteer and Zone Coordinator Donn Nelson served as master of ceremonies for the event, which took place at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. The cleanup begins March 13 and will continue through April 18.
AmerenUE, which sponsored the recognition dinner, presented gifts of appreciation to each member organization, as well as to supporting members. Adopt-the-Shoreline Advisory Board members were recognized for their efforts to monitor and improve the program. Recognition gifts also went to the zone coordinators who work with Adopt-the-Shoreline groups within their zones and coordinate trash removal with local sanitation companies.
The Outstanding Volunteer Award was presented to Joey Clear in honor of her husband Charlie who passed away in September 2009.
“Charlie was a great advocate of the program, and his work over the years has benefited the entire Lake of the Ozarks,” said Adopt-the-Shoreline Coordinator Jeff Green, of AmerenUE. “Charlie had been with the program since 1998, and he organized an annual cleanup of 5.5 miles of shoreline in Prairie Hollow Cove in the Niangua Arm. Those cleanups have removed more than 28 tons of debris from the lake.”
In addition to the Outstanding Volunteer Award, the Adopt-the-Shoreline Service Award was presented to four members who have not adopted sections of shoreline themselves, but significantly contribute to the annual cleanup. Ron Hager, Eddie Lea, Lee White and Frank Danforth were recognized for their efforts in supporting four different adopting groups in Zones 6, 9 and 10.
“Hundreds of volunteers work annually to protect the shoreline of the Lake of the Ozarks, and they all deserve to be recognized,” Green said. “Our annual Adopt-the-Shoreline dinner allows us to honor our volunteers and kick off this year’s spring cleanup.”
AmerenUE sponsors, provides administrative support and pays for disposal of the trash and debris removed during cleanups, but the actual cleanup work is performed entirely by volunteers.
Beginning in 1992 with nine civic clubs adopting 89 miles of shoreline, Adopt-the-Shoreline has grown to include more than 100 businesses, organizations and individual property owners, with more than 600 miles of shoreline adopted between Bagnell Dam and Truman Dam. The groups expect to provide more than 700 volunteers for this year’s Spring Shoreline Beautification Cleanup, but Green says additional help is always welcome.
Anyone who would like to participate in the cleanup or join Adopt-the-Shoreline should call 573-365-9252.
AmerenUE, founded in 1902, provides electric and gas service to approximately 1.2 million customers across central and eastern Missouri, including the greater St. Louis area. UE serves 57 Missouri counties and 500 towns. The company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. For more information, visit www.amerenue.com.
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Contact: Mike Cleary, 573-681-7137