Today, my thoughts (and my daughter) are on the St. Croix

For two years now, I’ve had great ambitions to create a larger-scale clean-up of the St. Croix River… that would be called “The Dash for Trash.” The original idea was to start small, with a group of committed river stewards, who would clean about an 18-miles stretch of the St. Croix River, starting at Interstate State Park near Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and flowing south to William O’Brien State Park. After we've studied the route and measured the effort and resources required, we would recruit a larger team... with perhaps dozens of people and canoes. However, last year this project became a casualty of the challenge and loss faced by our family, and this year, I had to call it off because I would be physically unable to do it.

Well, my daughter called last week with a suggestion. Alyssa, all along, has been one of the biggest fans of the Dash for Trash idea (she loves anything that sounds like a festival)! She had been speaking with a few of her friends and co-workers, and announced that they would like to go ahead with a St. Croix River clean-up, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. (The photo here is of Alyssa on the Mississippi; click on it to enlarge the photo.)

I got in touch with Amy Frischmon at Wild Mountain/Taylors Falls Canoe Rental, to see if she’d be interested in outfitting the group. (Amy had offered to be an outfitter for the original “Dash for Trash” idea.) She said she’d be pleased to provide the shuttle service, canoes, paddles and PFDs the group would need. Amy, I can’t thank you enough for your help. As I’ve said before, it is clear that you don’t just make your living in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley… you give life back to it, too.

So, today, my daughter is on the St. Croix River, soaking-up some sunshine and picking-up some trash. I’d really like to be along, paddling right there with them. But if that’s not in the cards, it’s really nice to see my daughter and her friends working on the water… and keeping it well.

© 2009 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.