The shiny sunflower morning beamed through the Hostel window planting a smile on my face waking me in good spirits. The day after Valentine’s when all took the time to express their love for family, friends, and life – we put our attention to our River, the Sunflower River, the first thing I see when I wake and thank the Creator for another day.
Today is the same as others – one glass of water, medicine ball resistance, training, push-ups, and a glance out the window at the River. In a few hours, we would be sponsoring a clean-up on the Sunflower River, with fellow friends that love our treasure that runs through downtown and ends in Vicksburg by means of the Yazoo River which eventually confluences with the Mississippi River.
We start a fire to keep the chill to a minimum and drink hot ginger tea as the crowd trickles in slowly. I start to get excited as a diverse crowd of volunteers, mostly in red, start to nibble on food brought by all and exchange names and stories around the fire. We have friends of all generations represented so I know today would be special. We have friends from Coahoma Community College, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, The Press Register, Habitat for Humanity, the Clarksdale Public Library, and the Mayor Bill Luckett. Plus the whole crew of Quapaw Canoe Company apprentices, leaders and guides.
Quapaw founder John Ruskey talking with MayorBill Luckett before the clean up.
We gather around for a group picture and make a strategy of attack for the clean-up. We decide to attack the duty by land and water, plus shuttling a special upstream team approaching from the North. We slide the elementary students in the canoe toboggan style. They celebrate with whoops and screams as they entered the water to start the clean-up. I’m part of the upstream team, so we pile into the the van and head for Lee and Friars Point Road.
We launch our canoes and meander through the channel grabbing trash such as tires, barrels, plastics, televisions, car seats, and anything else needed to be removed.
The beautiful cypress forest hovers over me and brings a smile to my face. The trees roots barely clear the surface holding firm to the landscape anchoring the channel. Turtles peek their noses up letting me know that spring is near. A freshly-carved beaver stick floats next to our boat, as we hear a warning smash in the distance. Deer tracks cover the banks along with raccoon. A lonely otter dives in desperation as we surprised it while eating a meal. Wood ducks and mallards take flight as we come around a bend. Large squirrels with puffy tails leap with faith barely dangling to a branch.
With our boats loaded, we start to get close to town. The day was a success and our stewardship has paid off as the moral and rewarding feelings move throughout the crew. The apprentices greets the boats and help unload the heap. One apprentice signals our boat to the side of a cypress tree. Without hesitation my bow man stands as if he was in an airplane and the boat flips sending me into the cold, frigid waters of the Sunflower River. My peers laughed at me and with me as my baptism is the symbol and exclamation point of the day.
Come out and get to know your river, whether it be the Sunflower River, a beautiful waterway that flows through our hearts and downtown, or your own local river.
~ Mark River
Mark River is a big River guide and youth leader for Quapaw Canoe Company, and is also the Southern Ambassador for the 1Mississippi Campaign. Join us at www.1Mississippi.org and become a River Citizen!