By Anastasia Benstead, Assistant, Editor-in-Chief
After facing initial challenges and cancelling the event, WMEAC hosted the 22nd annual Mayors Grand River Clean Up on Saturday, Sept. 13 last week.
WMEAC (West Michigan Environmental Action Council) was founded in 1968 as a grassroots organization to protect West Michigan wildlife and natural areas. For the past 22 years, they have hosted an annual Grand River Clean Up supported by the mayors of cities and municipalities that rely on the Grand River for water and energy.
Aquinas has been participating in the river clean up for the past 15 years, according to Dr. Chad Gunnoe and for the past 7 or 8 years has been cleaning roughly the same section on Kent Country Trails– the south east side of the river between 28th St. and Market Ave. “It’s actually a very interesting area,” Gunnoe said. “It’s of course on the Indian Mounds, and Millenium Park is just on the other side of the river. Plus, not every group gets to be so close to the water.”
On Monday, July. 5, Gunnoe received a message from WMEAC saying “it is with deep regret that we must inform you, our valued partners, sponsors, and volunteers, that the annual WMEAC Mayors’ Grand River Cleanup will not be taking place this year. We are extremely disappointed to put this cherished community event on what we hope is a temporary hiatus.” WMEAC continued to list economic and political factors which inhibited grant money from previous years from being applied this season.
“Of course I was sad, but we probably would have just gone out anyway,” Gunnoe said. It never came to that however, as on Tuesday Aug. 5, another email was received announcing WMEAC’s “partners at the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (MLCV) reached out with a generous offer to work together and keep the tradition going”
This was one of the smallest groups Aquinas has ever had participate in the clean up. There were 5 students who volunteered in addition to the faculty supervisors Dr. Gunnoe and Father Bob Keller O.P..
Aquinas student volunteers, Dr. Gunnoe, Fr. Bob, and gnome Xerxes smile before getting to work – Photo by Anastasia Benstead
“I am still amazed at how much trash there was,” Keller said. Collectively the group collected over 11 bags of trash and recycling. Some items were not even worthy of trash. One student found a brand new fishing lure in a sealed bag and was able to give to a fisherman fishing that morning in his regular spot.
11 trash bags filled with trash and recycling after only 90 minutes of picking up litter – Photo by Anastasia Benstead
Another piece of trash was particularly interesting. In the middle of the woods there was a perfectly sealed can of boiled peanuts and a metal fork. Debate sparked amongst the volunteers if one would be able to eat from the can. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” Benjamin Baur said.
Presumably, an unhoused individual was looking forward to that can as their sustenance for the day, or maybe the week, however Aquinas students with access to multiple meals a day of far higher quality were unwilling to give the can and its contents inside a chance.
“This is actually how we treat people if you think about it,” Keller said. “We judge them by the appearance of the outside and not the pure contents within.”
This year’s clean up looked very different than in years past. Normally, students would go to the large address that happens downtown, this year given by Mayor David LaGrand and representative Hilary Scholten. Former mayor George Heartwell, former professor and director of the Community Leadership Institute at Aquinas College was also present. It was through work in the CLI that Aquinas began its partnership with Kids Food Basket. In the past there had been very little time for actual clean up itself with the speeches, taking buses out to the clean up sites, and needing to bus back. Given the uncertain nature of this year’s event, Aquinas students skipped all of the “speechifying,” as Dr. Gunnoe said, and went straight to “doing the good stuff.
Can of boiled peanuts and fork found in the woods – Photo by Anastasia Benstead
Students find a pool and load it into Dr. Gunnoe’s trunk – Photo by Anastasia Benstead
Father Bob does his part in the river clean up, Liz Forsyth and Savannah Hammock beautify the riverfront – Photo by Anastasia Benstead
The Saint 