This weekend, there will be cleanup events in the Rochester region

Rochester, New York – Organizations are requesting volunteers to assist with community clean-up events this weekend in the Rochester region in observance of Earth Day, which falls on Monday. Here are a few of those occasions:

Monroe County Parks (Saturday)

On Saturday, volunteers are being asked by Monroe County to assist with park cleanup. Rain or shine, volunteers will be at the 22 county parks from 9 a.m. until noon.
You can volunteer for tasks like sweeping shelters, pulling weeds, taking away trash, and clearing up litter and other debris.

Canal Clean Sweep (Saturday)

This Friday and Saturday is the annual Canal Clean Sweep, an effort to clean up the Erie Canal and other canals throughout New York State.

3,500 volunteers participated in 150 clean-up events held throughout the state last year. With assistance from the state’s Canal Corporation, Parks & Trails New York is in charge of organizing it. Here is where you may register and view the full schedule of clean-up events. These are some of the nearby happenings:

• Corn Hill Navigation Clean Up of the Rochester Riverway on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will meet at 280 Exchange Blvd. Feel free to park in the “retail parking” lot in front of the building. Light refreshments will be provided at the office.
• Southwest Rochester Rotary Canal Clean Sweep on Saturday at 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will enter the parking lot from Elmwood Avenue at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, the drive to the back of the parking lot near the Genesee Waterways Center. Gloves, bags, water, and snacks will be provided.
• MEL’s Clean Sweep on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will meet behind REI along the canal anytime after 9:30 a.m. As a group, volunteers will clean the two-mile stretch of the Erie Canal from Meridian Centre Park, Brighton NY to 15A overpass in Henrietta.
• Canal Cleanup and Matzah! on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the Rochester JCC parking area behind the Canal Trail and across from Lock 33 at Edgewood Avenue. The Erie Canal Tidying Crew will celebrate the 2024 spring season with Passover matzah, music, refuse bags, gloves, and camaraderie.

Durand Eastman Beach (Saturday)

On Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, the Seneca Park Zoo is hosting a community clean-up effort at Durand Eastman Beach. The volunteer meeting place is the parking lot. All ages are welcome to participate, and bags, gloves, and tools will be given.

Russell’s / Chili Avenue Park (Saturday)

On Saturday, Russell’s / Chili Avenue Park will host a community clean-up organized by the organization Keep Gates Clean. At 3:30 p.m., volunteers will gather at the Dunkin’ on the intersection of Buffalo and Howard roads.