Rock River Sweep from Janesville to Black Hawk Island Sept. 8

Rock County Parks, Rockton volunteers, Rock River Enterprises and Homeowners Association, WTVO-17/WQRF-FOX 39, and The Rock River Times are coordinating sections of a greater Rock River clean-up Saturday, Sept. 8.

The Third Annual Great Rock River Sweep is a clean-up conducted simultaneously in each and every community along the river for its entire 285 miles, reaching from Horicon, Wis., to Rock Island, Ill. Learn more at www.rockriversweep.org.

Janesville and Beloit

Rock County Parks has adopted the section between the cities of Janesville, Wis., and Beloit, Wis.

The clean-up has the following two fronts:

• Waterborne participation, by boat, canoe, kayak or a raft; or

• Walking the shoreline.

The clean-up is open to all ages. Meeting place will be Happy Hollow County Park, 1731 W. Happy Hollow Road, Janesville, Wis. Start time is 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 8.

Volunteer pre-registration preferred, but not required. Contact Rock County Parks at (608) 757-5473 to sign up. Those with boats are encouraged to participate by water. Boat launch fees will be waived for the day for those participating in the clean-up.

The Rock County Parks Division is open weekdays between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

From Rockton to Fordham Dam

The Rock River Sweep is the second annual cleanup of the whole 285-mile length of the river. Google Rockford’s Sportscore I or Rockton’s Settlers’ Park for directions.

WTVO 17/WQRF-FOX 39, Rock River Homeowners Association, Rock River Enterprises, Rockton Friends of the Rock, The Rock River Trail Initiative and The Rock River Times are co-sponsoring the cleanup of the northern section of Winnebago County from above the Rockford Fordham Dam to above Rockton on the Rock River.

For registration for the Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park section, we will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Sportscore I Park in Rockford and in Rockton. Door prizes will be awarded and cleanup assignments made. We plan to be off the river no later than 3 p.m. For the Rockton section, we will meet at the gazebo at Settlers’ Park at Blackhawk Boulevard and Hawick.

Put in either at Rockford Marina, Martin Park, Sportcore I for the Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park section. For the Rockton section, put in at Macktown Forest Preserve, Jensen Forest Preserve, the Rockton boat launch on Hononegah Road across from Hononegah High School, Rockton Hononegah Forest Preserve or Settlers’ Park.

We will clean the stretch from Fordham Dam up to the Roscoe Shallows and leave trash at Sportscore I. For the Rockton section, trash may be left at Settlers’ Park. More announcements may be made for trash drop-off ports.

Questions? For the Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park section, call Rock River Enterprises and Rock River Homeowner Association’s Steve Lucas at (815) 243-8742 or e-mail him atrrebarge@aol.com AND for the Rockton section, call Loren Floto at (815) 624-7622 or e-mail him atlrfloto@verizon.net.

From Fordham Dam to Hinchcliff FP

The Rock River Sweep is the second annual cleanup of the whole 285-mile length of the river.

Prairie State Canoeists, The Illinois Paddling Council, Paddle and Trail, The Rock River Trail Initiative andThe Rock River Times are co-sponsoring the cleanup of the South Rockford Reach of the Rock River.

Meet at 9:30 a.m. at Blackhawk Park in Rockford for registration. Door prizes will be awarded and cleanup assignments made. We plan to be off the river no later than 3 p.m.

Put in either at Blackhawk Park or at South Park behind La Famiglia.

Reach We will clean the stretch from Fordham Dam down to the south end of Blackhawk Island and leave trash and take-out at Hinchcliff, at the former Ace of Diamonds property on the southwest end of Blackhawk Island and at La Famiglia.

Questions? Call Tom Lindblade at (630) 207-9500.

From The Rock River Times Aug. 29-Sept. 4, 2012, issue