America’s Largest Urban River Clean-Up is 30 & Thriving

Friends of the LA River (FoLAR) is proud to present the 30th Annual Great LA River CleanUp: La Gran Limpieza (CleanUp). For three decades this event has brought people to the River and the River to the people, enabling Angelenos to see the River with fresh eyes towards the River’s future. FoLAR’s annual CleanUp has exploded in recent years, shattering records for volunteer turnout and trash collected, earning and defending the title of largest urban river cleanup in America, and mobilizing 70,000 cumulative volunteers along the way. The 2018 CleanUp attracted over 6,000 volunteers—individuals and groups of all ages and backgrounds—who removed over 120,000 pounds of trash.

Saturday, April 13th, in the Upper River, begins the 3-weekend cleanup across 11 sites along the Upper, Mid and Lower River.

In addition to the trash pick-up, volunteers will be entertained by popular local bands that come to the CleanUp to connect with the LA River community. Select sites will also feature FOLAR’s 38’ mobile visitor and education center, the LA River Rover. Refreshments, snacks, and sunblock will all be on hand.

At SEPULVEDA BASIN: From FoLAR: Executive Director Marissa Christiansen, FoLAR board chair M-K O’Connell. Expected VIPS: Councilmembers Paul Krekorian (CD2) and Nury Martinez (CD6); Ted Garcia of the Tongva Nation will offer a traditional river blessing to open the program. KEARTH will provide on-site entertainment, additional community groups and sponsors will be tabling resources for attendees, and FoLAR’s River Rover will be on-site to provide free educational programming for all ages.

At GLENDALE NARROWS RIVERWALK: Staff from FoLAR will welcome representatives from Glendale City and Congressman Adam Schiff’s office.

At BETTE DAVIS PICNIC AREA: Staff from FoLAR will welcome community members, including president Friends of Griffith Park (Marian Dodge), and host WAVE FM for on-site entertainment.

The annual CleanUp is one of the biggest and most community-forward L.A. events of the year. This CleanUp, along with FoLAR’s education and advocacy, have played a significant role in shifting how people define and perceive the River over the last 30 years. This can be seen through the TV/Film depictions of the River, the planning efforts underway, and the fact that nowadays politicians would never run for office in LA-area without citing the River as a crucial opportunity to deliver new park space. The LA River is an integral part of our lives as Angelenos, and FoLAR makes it possible for every LA resident to participate.

Founded in 1986, with their first CleanUp conducted in 1989, FOLAR is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to ensure a publicly accessible and ecologically sustainable Los Angeles River.

The 2019 CleanUp is made possible through major support from the Cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles, Postmates and many others that give back to Southern California communities.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Best practice is to be ready to cover the opening ceremonies at 9:00 am.

For April 13, there are four locations in the Upper River region:

Sepulveda Basin at Balboa Blvd *Primary For Media*
(Sep. Basin Sports Complex) 6115 Balboa Blvd Van Nuys, CA 91406
https://folar.rallybound.org/sepulvedabasin/Static/site-information

Haskell Creek
https://folar.rallybound.org/haskellcreek/Static/site-information

Bette Davis Picnic Area
https://folar.rallybound.org/bettedavis/Static/site-information

Glendale Narrows Riverwalk
https://folar.rallybound.org/glendalenarrows/Static/site-information

DIRECTIONS & PARKING: Driving / Transit directions, as well as parking at the Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex may be found at the links in “Where” section above.

COST: FREE but registration is required.
Volunteers can register at http://folar.org/cleanup-2019/

The Actors' Gang

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