Keep it beautiful

Dear editor:
On Saturday and Sunday (April 20-21), members of the Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists spent about 40 man hours cleaning the islands and stretch of highway from the middle of the Noden Causeway to George Armstrong Road.
This was done as part of our commitment to conserving and protecting the natural environment in which we all live, and in celebration of Earth Day 2002.
Aside from the usual cans, bottles, and paper, we encountered some awful stuff dumped on the islands of the Causeway. This included old tires, waste oil, bagged and un-bagged dog waste, used diapers, syringes and needles, IV cords, and huge amounts of personal trash, yard waste, and garbage.
All of this is within a few metres of the lake shore and ends up in the waters of Rainy Lake that we all enjoy.
It is our hope local residents will view our work with appreciation knowing that there are now several places to safely swim and partake of a picnic lunch—free of unsightly garbage. Tourists to the area now can enjoy a view of Rainy Lake free of trash and litter.
We ask all who use this area to help us in our job of maintaining these pull-offs by not dumping trash or personal garbage and being pro-active in picking up after they use the area.
The Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists will be diligently monitoring these areas throughout the year.
A special thank you to Brian Norris, Henry Miller, Fern and Carolyn Pelletier, Gus MacDonell, Terry Kawulia, and Henri Verhoef for your hard work and persistence. Thank, Mike, for printing this letter.
Sincerely,
Bill Morgenstern, President,
Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists