Contributed article
CLIFTON — The Gila Watershed Partnership invites all members of the public to join the San Francisco River Cleanup and the Big Quack Duck Race in Clifton on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Both events benefit the town of Clifton, and the proceeds of the duck race go to the Greenlee County Tourism Council.
Interested cleanup volunteers will meet at Riverside Park at 7:30 a.m. to check in and orientation will begin at 8 a.m. A light snack will be provided. Cleanup teams will be created and the groups will remove as much trash from the river as possible from 8-11 am. Afterwards, lunch will be provided, so please RSVP to info@gwpaz.org.
“Cleaning in town, I think, has been a good reminder to people who live there to keep their trash out of the river,” said Dr. Sarah Sayles, Gila Watershed executive director.
More than a decade of river cleanups along the San Francisco River has led to the river being delisted from the Threatened Rivers list in Arizona.
Those who wish to chase or grab rubber duckies in the river during the Big Quack Duck Race should RSVP to info@gwpaz.org or contact Steve Ahmann at 928-292-9645.
At 1 p.m., the ducks will float about 1-mile down the San Francisco River, from the Zorilla Bridge to the Railroad Bridge, at Sidebottom Park.
The top 15 finishing ducks will each receive five $20 Duckie Dollars to spend at Greenlee County businesses.
Ducks are $10 or three for $25 and can be purchased at visitgreenleecounty.com
“This is a major accomplishment for the region, and volunteers like you are to thank for it. Let’s keep our region beautiful, safe, and open to recreational activities such as the Big Quack Duck Race,” Sayles said.
