Torch Lake is looking cleaner, after a group of volunteers staged a major clean-up from the Fourth of July holiday.
Stand Up for Great Lakes’ annual cleanup started back in 2015, and it’s become a tradition every year since. More than a dozen people came out Wednesday morning to take part, including Charlie Gmeiner.
Gmeiner said he spends a lot of time on Torch Lake in the summers.
“I found a dollar bill, a ton of beer cans, vape pen, ray-bans sock, zip ties, bottle caps,” said Gmeiner.
Wearing one of his finds, he said he’s frustrated when people use the lake as a dumping ground.
“We’re rated number four most beautiful lake in the world. And I like to keep it that way because it’s kind of a cool thing to say. Clearly other people don’t care about that,” said Gmeiner.
Gmeiner and many of the volunteers were out doing their part, finding everything from beer cans, slime, Mardi Gras beads and even cash.
Volunteer, Megan Morris said it’s a great feeling helping out.
“It makes me feel happy. I mean, I’ve got these two kids here who love the water and I want them to be able to grow up with the same water and experience that we did growing up,” said Megan.
Organizer, Kwin Morris, said the annual clean-up started out of necessity.
“2015, it got absolutely trashed and that was our first year. We decided to do something. So, seeing this many people show up and it be less and less trash every year and yeah, just that’s the best part is giving back,” said Kwin.
For volunteer like Gmeiner, he said it’s not that hard to keep our lakes clean.
“There’s trash cans all around on land. It’s not that hard just to have a trash can on your boat. Don’t be a jerk. Clean it all up,” said Gmeiner.
For more information on how you can help next year, please click here.
