Inaugural Island Invasion Cleanup at Douglas Lake

Keep Sevier Beautiful is partnering with Douglas Lake the Beautiful to host a cleanup event at Douglas Lake this weekend after a letter to a local newspaper citing the trash within the Lake engaged citizens throughout the area to create the inaugural Island Invasion.

“The islands on Douglas Lake are public land and known as a great destination for recreational activities in the Sevier County area,” noted Lizzie Gaver, CAC AmeriCorps member and program coordinator for Keep Sevier Beautiful. “This is an opportunity for Sevier County citizens to come together for a good cause in cleaning up this spectacular resource in our community! It is crucial that we recognize our community’s responsibility in keeping areas like this clean and beautiful.”

Community members will be donating their time to target some of the most littered areas around the lake. There are four different launch sites for this cleanup, and Keep Sevier Beautiful will be hosting the Douglas Dam Headwater Boat Ramp site. Volunteers from all over Sevier County have the opportunity to either clean up along the shoreline or utilize other volunteers’ boats to reach the trouble spots on the island.

The Island Invasion at Douglas Lake will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Keep Sevier Beautiful encourages all caring Sevier County citizens to participate.

“Cathy Graham and I, both Dandridge residents, began the Facebook group Douglas Lake the Beautiful after our first meeting in June,” stated Aurora Pulliam. “Sixty folks—lake users and property owners—came out to discuss trash, litter, and other lake issues. We heard from other established lake user and cleanup groups that there was a lot of interest in a cleanup, actually a fall and spring cleanup. We expect a great turnout!”

For more information about how to get involved with the Douglas Lake Island Invasion, email Keep Sevier Beautiful at info@KeepSevierBeautiful.org

Photo: Larry Watson/Douglas Lake the Beautiful