It was exciting and we did it! At least for April 26th.

Over 250 people helped on Saturday at 7 sites on the Buffalo River. The Buffalo State College athletic department turned out 100. Canisius College Community Day at least 60. And the Friends and its various partners another 90.
Everyone - give yourselves a pat on the back!! Your deserve it.

Every inch of Old Bailey Wood's 3 acres was cleaned of debris - something not accomplished in 15 years. Three baby bunny rabbits watched the team work of the Buffalo State students in amazement. They were glad to see them go when finished so they could find their mother. Troop 5 of Parkside Lutheran Church added an extra shine to the shoreline.

Seneca Bluffs was done in 1 1/2 hours, and when complete. Marlo, Art, and Ann lead their crew of 30 to finish Confluence Point. Dick Jeffers and small contingent did a masterful job of clearing No Legion Drive of knotweed and dead branches - now you can see Cazenovia Creek when you drive by.

Canisus students and their priestly "buckeye" wadded into debris a foot thick at the head of Caz Creek by Bailey - and worked a miracle.

The Buffalo Paddle Club showed that they can do more than paddle - they directed a mass of student power to clean up the river shoreline from Hamburg to the Ohio Street Bridge, to show the Old First Ward that we care they added a railine and Vandalia Street to the tracks.

FBNR Board members demonstrated that there is more to life than meetings and reports. Ohio Street and its parks are green clean to the Bridge because of their effort.

Every cause needs an anchor. We have one at the Valley Community Center. They are there to help us get in touch with the magic at the foot of Smith Street. See for yourself. Peg - thank your staff for us all. 100 of us ended the clean up at the Center for a snack and a report session. Councilmember Franczak and his staff were there. They showed up to work - and they did the whole morning. Dave shared an encouraging word at our closing.

The County provided two trucks to helped, and hauled off 4 huge loads to the dump. Dave and Rigidized Metals volunteer a truck too. It will take at least 6 more truck loads to get what is left on the ground tomorrow....not counting at least 100 tires that will require a special pick up.

In closing I do not want to be amiss in not recognizing the work of our industrial partners in the week of activity: Steelfields, Honeywell, Buffalo Color, General Mills, Buffalo Industrial Diving, BOC Gases, PvS Chemicals, Exxon Mobil, and Ellicott Development. They all shared staff time in doing their part along the Buffalo River shoreline.