SOLVE, Oregon Lottery partner for beach and riverside cleanups

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregonians all over the state lent a helping hand to the Beach and Riverside Cleanup on Saturday. Oregon SOLVE partnered with the Oregon Lottery to put the volunteer effort — and KOIN 6 News employees gladly helped out.

Volunteer groups were scattered from the city to the coast. Over 5,500 people showed up to take care of Oregon’s beaches, parks, waterways, and more.

“All of Oregon is connected by our waterways, so the trash that is littered in one part of the state is sure to reach other parts of the state,” said SOLVE program director Quintin Bauer. “It really is going to take all of Oregonians getting out there, picking up any trash they find, not littering in the first place, volunteering, giving back to really make a difference.”

An estimated 28,261 pounds of trash and debris were collected in a single day, said SOLVE. Plastic pieces and bottles, cigarette butts, fishing rope, and glass were some of the most commonly recovered debris. A lot of scooters and bikes were pulled from the Willamette River Saturday as well.

“It amazes me just how many people come out to clean up Oregon each year during SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup. It makes me proud to say I am an Oregonian, and to belong to such a caring community,” said SOLVE’s CEO, Kris Carico in a Saturday statement.

Check out some pictures from Saturday’s cleanup:

Dive teams in Portland also helped out earlier in the week. They were able to pull out 3 cars from the Willamette River near the Sellwood neighborhood.