GOVERNOR ROMNEY WILL JOIN OVER A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS 
FOR CHARLES RIVER SPRING CLEANING 

Waltham, MA - April 12, 2003 ... The 4^th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup promises to be the largest cleanup event to date with over 1,500 volunteers from 20 communities in the watershed ready to participate on Saturday, April 12^th.  Governor Romney will kick off the event at 9 a.m. at the Metropolitan District Commission’s (MDC) Hatch Shell and then pick up trash alongside hundreds of volunteers on the Esplanade.  Volunteers will be working at 40 sites along 67 river miles from Milford to Boston.  Event organizers include the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA); Massachusetts Community Water Watch, a project of MASSPIRG, Americorps, and the MA Service Alliance; State Senator Steven Tolman’s Office; the Charles River Stream Team; the Charles River Conservancy; the Clean Charles Coalition; and MDC.

"After a long, cold winter, it is fun to get out on the river and make a difference with so many great people and organizations connected by the Charles,” remarked Robert Zimmerman, CRWA’s Executive Director. "Even Governor Romney, who lives on the boundary of the Charles and Mystic River watersheds, is out today, helping to keep the Charles and its parks clean."

Volunteers from area colleges and universities, the boating community, neighborhood associations, scout troops, businesses, alumnae associations, volunteer organizations, and other civic activists, are among those participating in the cleanup this year. 

“With 1500 volunteers, the Charles River Cleanup demonstrates the power of service to strengthen our communities and restore our waterways.  We appreciate Governor Romney’s commitment to environmental service,” said Bruce Speight, Program Director of Massachusetts Community Water Watch.

All volunteers will receive t-shirts designed by Althea Chen, a Massachusetts College of Art student.  The MDC, Triumvirate Environmental Inc., Clean Harbors, and Home Depot are providing trash bags, gloves and tools.  After picking up trash, volunteers will be treated to lunch and entertainment by the Pahud Kissinger Band at MDC’s Herter Park in Brighton and lunch at Bellingham Common.  Financial support and in-kind contributions are provided by Bread & Circus Whole Foods Market, Community Rowing Inc., Double Tree Suites Hotel, Finagle-A-Bagel, Genzyme Corporation, Harvard University, Newton Marriott Hotel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Pfizer Corporation, Roche Bros. Supermarkets, Royal Sonesta Hotel, and Triumvirate Environmental Inc.  

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