Make A Difference Day to clean up stream, city

Vancouver — Pitch in to improve the health of Burnt Bridge Creek, or help make Vancouver a cleaner community, by participating in national Make A Difference Day projects on Oct. 22.

The city of Vancouver Public Works Greenways Team will partner with the Vancouver Watersheds Council for volunteer planting in Leverich Park as part of a bank restoration project.

Volunteers will help plant and mulch new plants to help stabilize the soil, increase wildlife value, create a creek buffer and beautify the park. Volunteers may register with the Vancouver Watershed Council at 360-852-9189.

The other major volunteer event will be a cleanup contest in several parks and along trails, with a special focus to eliminate discarded cigarette butts. More than 50 percent of all litter is composed of cigarette butts, and more than 135 million pounds of butts are littered in the United States each year, the city said in a news release.

Volunteers will check in at David Douglas Community Park, and then head out to parks and public spaces throughout Clark County to collect cigarette butts. Volunteers may compete for donated prizes for the most cigarette butts collected. Contact Michelle Simpson at 360-487-8316 or michelle.simpson@cityofvancouver.us for more information and to register.

For more information visit www.vancouverwatersheds.org or www.parkhero.org.