Please read all of this. I work for the Catawba River Keeper Foundation. I am amazed with what one small nonprofit can accomplish. These hardworking, dedicated people, in the the face of bureaucracy that doesn't care, have already moved Mount Everest. They put themselves on the important "accomplishment map" by winning a lawsuit over state water rights in Supreme Court. Self-sacrifice and, commitment doesn't stop them when it would others. I marvel what small nonprofit has accomplished in spite the of little money they have. I see it in their values and their visions in what they see needs to be done. Oh, I forgot to tell you in the last ten years we were number one as the most endangered river.

If you want to check out their website at www.catawabariverkeeperfoundation.org you will see what I mean.

Top reasons I see Catawba River Foundation as a special place to volunteer:

This year the Catawba River is #6 and twice in the last ten years # 1 as the most endangered river in the United States.

The Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case South Carolina versus North Carolina and established that a state cannot divert water out of a river basin to the detriment of wild life, fauna, including the endangered Spider Lilly living in the South Carolina Catawba River. The Catawba River once was dry and now South Carolina Catawba River has water.

They currently are litigating a case in court to rid unlined coal ash ponds that includes site cleanup. These sites are leaking toxic chemicals into the ground and lake drinking water for over a million people. Their lawsuit, one of five, is the most comprehensive. Unlike the State of South Carolina, the Catawba River Foundation suit requires that all coal ash sites will be cleaned by Duke Energy.

They give back to the community by giving talks to community groups, educating people to be the eyes, that watch over the lake and shorelines for sewage spills, garbage dumping and construction sites that allow soil runoff into our rivers and lakes.

Every year they sponsor cleanups along the river and lakes. They haul tons of trash out of the lakes and river each year.

If could I would give them ten stars instead of five. The Catawba River Foundation is an unsung hero.

Can you help us clean up the Catawba River? I have only told you our most main pressing concerns. There are so many problems. Donating on our safe website at www.catawbariverkeeper.org the old lady river would be so happy. She needs tender loving care and so much more. All of her critters would say thank you whenever they took a drink. If everybody that reads this it would donate one dollar or more if you wish and can, it would really help us so we could do more for our wildlife and our community.

Thanks so much. It will really mean a lot.

They give back to the youth and adults through their kayaking programs. They hold Fall Leaf and Spring Spider Lily kayak tours.Youth including disadvantage youth, sometimes for first time see what is like to be in a kayak. This includes classes about water safety, environmental issues affecting the Catawba, and the hands on science with how to test water samples.
tours issues