A clean river is a happy river, and a happy river helps make a happy community.

So let's gather by the North Platte River on Saturday.

Between 500 and 800 volunteers will join the 10th annual river revival event sponsored by the Platte River Revival Restoration Project through the City of Casper, spokeswoman Jolene Martinez said.

City employees, state and federal agencies, businesses, nonprofit groups and individuals will remove litter, erect a litter fence by a creek, clean creeks upriver, plant native grasses, wire-wrap trees to protect them from wildlife, photograph the event, take inventories of Russian olive trees, and host a party afterwards, Martinez said.

This year, volunteers also will demobilize after the project: cleaning and storing supplies, life jackets, tools and waders -- tasks city staff have performed in the past, she said.

Martinez urges volunteers to dress and prepare appropriately: sturdy shoes, long pants and long-sleeve shirts, work gloves. Likewise, bring water, bug spray, eye protection, and sunscreen.

Besides the beautification and environmental benefits, the event has grown so large that police and fire departments urged using an incident command organizational structure to train volunteers to work together in case of a major emergency, Martinez said.

"We'll have the Mobile Command Unit out," she said. "We'll have people assigned jobs and you don't cross those lines."

City of Casper spokeswoman Anna Rosburg said Casperites have made this the largest National Public Lands Day event in the nation. "We are proud of the Casper community and look forward to their hands-on restoration help," she said.

While pre-registration has closed for the event, people can still sign up on Saturday morning, Rosburg said.

Volunteers should arrive early to avoid long lines for registering. Volunteers under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them at registration. Desired work assignments cannot be ensured, she said.

Volunteers can bring a completed registration form to the registration tables from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday before moving to their work sites.
Visitors and users of the the Platte River Parkway should know the event will have volunteers and equipment on it on Saturday morning.

For more information and an online registration form, visit www.platteriverrevival.org.

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