Several agencies and individuals have come together to provide Missouri River Relief with a new boat to help them in their efforts to clean up the Big Muddy.
One of those to contribute was Missouri American Water. The company provided a $10,000 donation to MRR to cover the remaining costs for a motor for the new 28-foot boat, which was constructed especially for MRR for use during the group's work on the river.
Missouri American officials said they support MRR's mission of river education because the company owns three treatment plants that draw water from the Missouri River, including one in Jefferson City. The river is the source of drinking water to more than 300,000 of their customers.
Other donors helping cover the cost of the $47,000 boat include Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District, Boone County Community Trust, Hulston Family Foundation and two individual anonymous donors.
At Wilson's Serenity Point at the Noren Access on Monday morning, MRR Executive Director Steve Schnarr said the new stainless steel boat and motor would allow them to continue their mission of educating the public about the importance of the Missouri River.
"We've already done a river cleanup and festival in Washington with the new boat and took some fourth-graders from Columbia Public Schools out on the river in the boat," Schnarr said. "We have four other boats, and those are mainly used for river cleanup events. They're designed to haul a few people, as well as items that we collect during the cleanup.
"This new boat has the ability to haul more and take more people out on the river during our educational programs."
The new boat is named "Lucia." It was named in honor of Lucia Cope Hulston, who Schnarr said passed her love of the Missouri River on to her family. The family continues to be dedicated supporters of MRR.
"We organize four big cleanup events every year, along with educational programs, and those are done in April and May and then again in September and October," Schnarr said. "The next big cleanup here in Jefferson City is scheduled to take place on Oct. 19."
Schnarr said it's been interesting with the recent floods to see what has accumulated in the river in places they've cleaned.
"The number one thing we find is plastic and that includes Styrofoam," Schnarr said. "It comes from every stream and tributary that leads into the Missouri."
Schnarr said they usually collect 4-8 tons of trash during their cleanups. The trash includes tires and refrigerators.
"There's a lot of things communities are doing to improve runoff into the river, whether that's stormwater controls or liter cleanups on streets. All that keeps things from going into the river," Schnarr said. "Right now, there is increased attention to the impact plastic can have on the river and the environment.
"Companies and communities are taking action to reduce those things at the source. Most of what we use is designed to be used once and thrown away, and if it doesn't make it into the landfill, then it gets into the river."