Brisk morning welcomes Stream Team

Quinton Sean, left, and Cody Mathews move a large metal pole Saturday, April 22, 2017 from Stinson Creek at the Fulton Clean Sweep event.
Quinton Sean, left, and Cody Mathews move a large metal pole Saturday, April 22, 2017 from Stinson Creek at the Fulton Clean Sweep event.

Despite the chilly morning and even colder water, members of the Fulton Stream Team took little time before getting wet Saturday morning.

photo

Jill Farley and Diane Wolfe

"It's a little brisk," William Woods student George Johnson said while standing knee deep in Stinson Creek. "It's worth doing, though, to help out the community."

Similar to last year's Clean Sweep event, the Fulton Stream Team was composed of members from WWU's Greek community.

Four members of the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta took on the responsibility of cleaning Stinson Creek from the Missouri Route F bridge to Memorial Park.

"As an inter-fraternity council, we decided to do this in an effort to bring together the Greek community as a whole," Johnson said. "In the same way, by participating in this event we are getting outside our campus and helping to bring the entire Fulton community together as well."

Johnson said the impact of last year's Stream Team clean up of the creek was obvious.

"There was much less trash in the creek this year," he said. "We had just as much fun, though. The most interesting, and heavy, thing we found this year was a long metal pole full of sand. We think it might be part of a scoreboard."

Despite leaving tired, wet and cold, Johnson said he and other members of Phi Gamma Delta will be returning again next year.

"We definitely plan on doing it again next year, with even more people," he said. "Not just because of the super dope barbecue we get after, but because helping the community is extremely important."

Back on dry land, Clean Sweep participant Melissa Clark volunteered with her daughter, Olivia Holland, 9, and family friend Gabi Hersey.

"I brought (Olivia and Gabi) to get them to understand community service," she said. "They are definitely having quite a bit of fun today, and I think they get the point of why we are here."

While the Stream Team and Clean Sweep participants were out making Fulton beautiful, a feast in their honor was being prepared at Memorial Park.

"We have hot dogs, chips and ice cream waiting for the groups when they get back," assistant Parks and Rec. Director Sharlene McArtor said. "We had sponsors from all over Fulton."

McArtor said the turnout to this years event was good.

"We had about 400 people show up all together," she said. "I think people recognize the benefit of the project, and it helps make people aware of littering. It also clears the streets and stream of trash and debris."