Big turnout expected for Trash Bash

More than 700 volunteers are expected to remove 7 tons of trash from shorelines, roads and ditches during the Trash Bash fall cleanup on lakes Hamilton and Catherine and the Ouachita River Saturday from 8-11 a.m.

Volunteers can register between 8-9 a.m. at one of eight check stations. Lake Hamilton locations are Hill Wheatley Park,

688 Majestic Lodge Road; Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, 350 Fish Hatchery Road; Sunnybrook Landing, 530 Lakepark Drive; and Sunset Cove Marina,

180 Lodge Road.

Lake Catherine and Ouachita River check stations will be at Carpenter Dam Park, 301 Powerhouse Lane; Munro Shoe Factory boat ramp, 216 Elmwood Drive; Lake Catherine State Park, 1200 Catherine Park Road; and Remmel Dam Park in Jones Mill.

Supplies and T-shirts will be provided at registration. Clint Coleman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and chairman of

the Trash Bash Council said the event will be held if it’s raining Saturday, but volunteers will not be sent out if lightning is in the area.

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has said Trash Bash is the largest organized shoreline cleanup event in the state.

Volunteers will receive raffle tickets based on the amount of trash they return to the check stations by 11 a.m.

“They have found boat motors, potato plants growing out of Nerf footballs, all kinds of crazy stuff,” Coleman said. “You never know what you’re going to find. All kinds of things get discarded that get into our waterways, parks and highways.

“You can collect a good 14,000 pounds of trash because you have so much help. You can really make a big dent in the trash.”

A free barbecue lunch will be held at Garvan Woodland Gardens. In addition to raffle prizes, special prizes will be awarded to the Ultimate Trash Basher, the family with the most participants and the volunteer who finds the most unique item. Certificates will be awarded to the community organization and business with the most participants.

Arkansas Entergy Inc., the city of Hot Springs, Garland County and the Southwest Central Regional Solid Waste District are sponsoring the event.