YUBA-SUTTER, CA (MPG) - For the past two weekends, volunteers from multiple non-profits, members of the community, law enforcement agencies and local businesses have been hard at work cleaning up the river-bottoms in the Marysville area.

The cleanup events have been a yearly undertaking, but this year’s haul was quite impressive. The result of the extensive cleanup was 126 dump slips. Among the televisions, old stoves, refrigerators, and other refuse collected from the area between North Beale road and Stimpson Lane, were 145 vehicles. Of those vehicles recovered, 19 had been reported stolen.

Volunteers from SAYlove, 530 Recovery and Everything Off-Road, Yuba County Code Enforcement, Yuba-Sutter CHP, Sunsweet and concerned community members labored for hours on Saturday and Sunday, August 29^th and 30^th only to return to the job again September 5^th and 6^th. The massive effort saw volunteers picking garbage up by hand, using safety precautions and PPE of course, and loading truck after truck with the rubbish. Sarb Thiara graciously donated the use of his flatbed semi-trucks, excavators, forklifts and dozers to load some of the heavier items, including the vehicles, for removal.  According to Money Dhami, one of the volunteers on site during the mass effort, vehicles and other metals were sent to Empire Steel in Yuba Sutter for disposal after VIN numbers had been checked to establish if the vehicle had been stolen.

While the river tends to be a haven for area homeless, the heavy accumulation is not attributed solely to the homeless encampments around which much is found. In an interview with the Appeal Democrat, property owner in the Yuba-Sutter area, Greg Bock, said that much of it comes from “opportunity criminals who are making money hand over fist”. He continues, “We have people chopping vehicles, stealing…” and dumping the leftovers in the area. And sadly, the recreation area is a magnet for drug paraphernalia and is constantly the site of dumped vehicles.

Regardless, the community is doing its part to help keep it clean so it can be enjoyed by all. Of all the willing volunteers and organizations present at the event, Dhami says, “Everybody comes together whenever there’s the need.”