The annual Renew Our Rivers campaign on Weiss Lake was once again a great success as community members gathered at the state boat docks in Cedar Bluff on Saturday to help do their part to keep our lake and county litter free.

Since the first community cleanups in 2000, Alabama Power employees and community volunteers have made a remarkable impact in protecting waterways in their communities through Renew Our Rivers.

The 2016 campaign on Weiss Lake was held in memory and in honor of a founding member of the Weiss Lake Improvement Association, Shad Ellis.

Carolyn Landrum, President of the Weiss Lake Improvement Association –

Through programs like Renew Our Rivers, Alabama Power is a partner in promoting conservation stewardship in communities across the state.

For more than a decade, the company has helped create and distribute more than 50,000 Message in the Bottle coloring books focused on conservation and litter prevention to schools across the state.

The Alabama Power Foundation is also making its mark on protecting our state’s resources with the launch of “Students to Stewards,” a program designed to encourage conservation education.

Through a competitive application process, the program will provide support for dynamic projects and lesson plans that teach the next generation about our state’s unique ecosystems – encouraging students to become better stewards of our natural resources.

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, Alabama Shoreline Management, the Weiss Lake Improvement Association and WEIS Radio are among those that sponsor Renew Our Rivers in Cherokee County annually.