By Quinn O’Hara

Photo Courtesy of Alex Brown

An effort by the Clay Center and Manhattan Masons Lodges recently pulled 300 lbs. of garbage out of a two mile stretch of Huntress Creek in Clay Center.

The effort, organized as a community service project by Clay Center Mason Alex Brown, gathered five Masons and two canoes to help clean up the small creek on May 18.

Among the 300 lbs. of plastic and styrofoam containers, plastic bags, and other garbage pulled from Huntress Creek, Brown said he and his fellow Masons also managed to pull out an old lawn mower and an old vacuum cleaner.

The original plan was to start near the Greenwood Cemetery on the northern edge of Clay Center and travel downstream to where Huntress Creek flows into the Republican River just south of the small town. However, Brown said the crew encountered some difficulties during the trip.

Brown said several area businesses also pitched in to help. Among others, Java Junkies donated coffee, Glavan Ford donated water and gloves, Clay County Lumber and Supply donated trash bags, Tasty Pastry donated donuts, and Eric Davis and his family lent out a canoe and paddles.

Brown said he’s hopeful to run another cleanup next year and take even more trash out of the creek. For now, though, Huntress Creek will remain 300 lbs. of garbage cleaner.