SMU’s Environment Committee united with SMU’s rowing team and volunteer group “For the Love of the Lake” to help clean up White Rock Lake early Saturday morning. For the Love of the Lake is a non-profit volunteer organization that is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of White Rock Lake. The group dedicates the second Saturday in each month to the efforts of maintaining the lake. Dallas Park and Recreational Department is responsible for maintaining the lake but does not have enough resources to preserve it in full capacity. The lake collects large heaps of litter on a daily basis. Volunteers picked up sofa cushions, soccer balls, clothes, shoes and any other visible litter off the shoreline. White Rock Creek goes up 30 miles and it is the way that White Rock Lake collects most or its trash. Every time it rains in the North Dallas, Plano and Richardson area all of the trash from the streets flows into the draining system and ends up in White Rock Lake.
“The central message is to think about where all the trash that you let escape ends up. Think about what impact it has on lakes, creeks and oceans. We are trying to get a message out to litters,” SMU Environment Committee Chair Joseph Grinnell said. Grinnell wanted to help clean up White Rock Lake so he declared Saturday SMU clean-up day.
“We were just thrilled when Joseph said he wanted to do this for an SMU Saturday clean up day,” For the Love of the Lake volunteer Janet Smith said.
Smith said that her organization normally has about 70 or more large bags of trash because they pick up litter along and inside the lake for thirty miles.
The Environment Committee committed their Saturday morning to White Rock Lake and encouraged other students to volunteer to help reinforce recycling around the entire SMU campus.
“We clean up the boulevard after tailgating parties and we have set out recycling bins through out the campus to reinforce the cleanliness of the environment,” Vice Environment Chair Christine Dougherty said.
When the rowing team found out about the committees’ efforts, they eagerly volunteered. SMU’s rowing team has a boathouse on the lake.
“We come out and row twice a day. It’s neat to come and help out because this will improve the quality of our rowing home. This is the lake that we practice and race on. It’s nice to know we’ll have a clean lake when other teams come to town,” SMU rowing team co-captain Lauren Bradley said. The rowing team is doing what it can to raise environment awareness.
On sunny weekends the park is full of bicyclists, in-line skaters, runners and marathon trainers. Fishermen are welcome because the water in the lake is safe and is tested regularly. Grinnell said, “I am encouraging everyone to help ‘Keep Texas beautiful’.”
