The Columbus Audubon Center and Keep Franklin County Beautiful (KFCB) organized 104 volunteers on Saturday, April 22 to celebrate Earth Day by tidying up along the Scioto River. Volunteers on the west side of the river worked from COSI to Dodge Park. Those working the east side of the river worked from the southern point of the Whittier Peninsula (future site of the Audubon Nature Center) ending at Miranova. The volunteers hauled more than five tons of trash out of the area.

“Community involvement is essential in cleanup events like this in order to foster community pride,” states Lindsey Christ, KFCB Director. “It is great to see large companies in Columbus like Grange Insurance and Limited Brands encouraging their employees to volunteer.”

Sponsored by Grange Insurance and Limited Brands, Inc., volunteers included associates and family members from both organizations as well as Audubon Ohio, KFCB and students from COSI's MiracleGro Capital Kids Program that are part of Audubon's Urban Conservation Crew. COSI hosted all volunteers for lunch at noon following the cleanup and also provided free admission to the facility that day for all volunteers to enjoy their Earth Day festivities.

“This was a wonderful opportunity to connect people in Columbus with the Scioto River and encourage them to make a difference on Earth Day,” said Heather Starck, Columbus Audubon Center Director.