About this Event
Join Us for a Potomac River Cleanup at Oxon Cove! 💧
Come out, bring a friend, and spend a couple of hours helping protect the Potomac River and its surrounding watershed!
✨ NEW! Additional Activities In addition to our community cleanup, we're excited to offer:
- Optional Plant Walk 🌿: Join Master Naturalist Ajani Simmons for a walk and exploration of the area's natural environment.
- Stretching Circle & Body Mechanics Education 🧘: Edward Hardy, Founder and CEO of Wake the 8 DC, will lead a stretching circle and share tips on body mechanics to help prepare volunteers for the cleanup.
Why We're Cleaning Up
Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) works to protect the right to clean water for all communities and everyone who lives in and relies on the Potomac and Shenandoah watersheds. Our work focuses on stopping pollution, making drinking water safe, protecting healthy river habitats, and enhancing opportunities to use and enjoy our waterways.
A significant amount of trash flows into Oxon Cove from across the Potomac watershed. One of our long-term goals is to help mitigate the impact of trash flowing from Oxon Run into the Potomac.
Your participation helps make a difference!
Get Involved: Land & Water Cleanup Opportunities
There will be several ways to participate in this cleanup:
- On Land: Join fellow volunteers to collect trash along the shoreline and surrounding areas.
- On the Water: Volunteers with the Trash Free Boat Brigade will use their personal kayaks to remove trash from the river ahead of the land-based cleanup.
- Wading Cleanup: Some volunteers will work along the water in waders and heavy boots.
A larger PRKN boat will also be stationed at the cove to assist with the boat-based cleanup.
What to Bring & Wear
Please come prepared for an outdoor cleanup! We strongly encourage volunteers to bring:
- Sturdy shoes or boots
- Long pants
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Bug repellent
- Tetanus vaccination
- Hip waders, if available (a plus!)
We will provide:
- Trash grabbers
- Gloves
- Trash bags
- Hand sanitizer
- Information about the Potomac River
If you have waders, please bring them!
Parking & Transportation
On the day of the event, please park in the . From there, we will provide shuttles to transport volunteers down to the cove.
Interested in Participating by Kayak?
Kayaking logistics will differ slightly from the land-based cleanup.
All volunteers interested in participating in the kayaking component must contact Bill Szymanski, Captain of the Trash Free Boat Brigade, in advance:
Kayakers are required to bring their own boats and will receive modified parking instructions.
Our Community Partners
We are excited to partner with:
- Ward 8 Woods
- Wake the 8
- Ajani Simmons
- National Park Service – National Capital Parks-East (NACE)
We hope to see you there! Bring a friend, get outside, and help us protect the Potomac! 💚
Event venue & nearby stays
Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm, 6411 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, United States
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