Congratulations & Thank You, Chad Pregracke

When Chad Pregracke was selected CNN 2013 Hero of the Year, it was a win for all who support conservation and stewardship of America's rivers.
Since 1998, when Pregracke organized Living Lands & Waters, he and volunteers have worked on river cleanups and watershed conservation. Memphis's industrial harbor, McKellar Lake, has been one of the many sites to benefit. Litter tossed from a car in south Memphis often ends up in Nonconnah Creek before it dumps into McKellar Lake and then into the MS River.

Locally Memphis River Warriors, formed on the University of Memphis campus, is following in Pregracke's footsteps with clean-ups year-round. On Nov. 16, 175 volunteers helped clean-up the Riverside Marina area. Collecting close to 15,000 lbs. of litter in 2 hours, they exceeded their goal of removing 50,000 lbs. of trash from waterways.