Rallying around the Cd'A River
KINGSTON — Aboard the SS Tired, volunteers hauled more than 1,500 pounds of tires, tarps and other car parts from the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River on Aug. 26.
The annual cleanup event through the Friends of the River Coalition was a huge success in the eyes of the nonprofit's leader, Dawn Wiksten.
“In three short years, we've seen this community rally around this river and what it means to all of us, near and far,” Wiksten said.
Wiksten’s passion for the river cleanup shines through when she speaks of the Herculean efforts put in by the volunteers who showed up to help both on the water and shore between Rabbit’s Launch and the Cataldo Mission.
“I’m so proud of them,” Wiksten said.
With two divers, multiple boats, kayakers and support staff pulling together to clean up discarded trash, about 25 volunteers helped throughout the day.
Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey also joined the volunteers and drew additional resources when the group found themselves in need of extra help. A couple with a trailer jumped in to lend a hand at the 11th hour when it came to hauling away the refuse.
The group formed the nonprofit three years ago to protect the safety and health of the river. Above all else, Friends of the River Coalition, or F.O.R.C., tries to lay the groundwork so people can be more responsible about their use of the river and surrounding areas. Spots that have become dumping grounds for years either by convenience or for “sport” accumulate detritus that can wreak havoc on the local environment.
Discarded tires pose the most common problem and the worst problem for the environment.
“The tires have been a problem for decades," Wiksten said. "The tires break down and affect the fish habitat. They’re really bad for the environment and they’re very toxic to the fish."
One of the preventative measures F.O.R.C. has been able to achieve includes the implementation of a dumpster service along the North Fork to deter individuals who choose to dump refuse haphazardly. Future goals for the group include creating more infrastructure along the waterways with additional launches for boats and parking.
“We’ve been fighting to protect the lands from abuse and keep them open and safe for people and animals,” Wiksten said.
In effort to keep things light and fun during the cleanup event, volunteers held an informal competition between groups to see who would find the strangest trash items. It wound up being a tie between a bunch of string cheese and a hemorrhoid pillow.
F.O.R.C. also held a social media contest with a $100 prize for people to weigh in on the exact pounds of the items that were pulled from the water. The goal was to drive engagement and bring awareness to how extensive the trash dumping has become.
To help with future cleanup projects or learn more about the nonprofit, email the nonprofit at friendsoftheriver2020@gmail.com or visit the Friends of the River Coalition Facebook page.
