Volunteers pull in more debris

A volunteer team of eight people pulled more than 800 pounds of debris from the White Pigeon River during a clean-up event last weekend in Mottville Township.

Staged by the St. Joseph County Conservation District, Saturday’s clean-up effort covered 2.7 miles between Vistula and Thomas roads. Conservation district administrator Jen Miller said the largest items retrieved included a fiberglass jeep hard cover and a calf hutch that had to be cut in half to fit into a canoe. In addition, the effort resulted in the collection of six bags of trash and eight tires.

Event coordinator Mike Miller and volunteer Jeff Pant made a second trip down the river Sunday to retrieve the larger items.

The agency’s seventh and final cleanup for 2013 takes place Sept. 7 on the Nottawa Creek in Leonidas Township. The 2.8-mile route begins at Fulton Road and concludes at Olney Road.

Conservation District officials are seeking a good turnout of volunteers for the season’s final collection.