When Henry Hudson sailed his way north from the New York Harbor, he saw the banks of the river covered with plants, wildlife, and other natural features. As time progressed, the mighty river, which was now named after the famous explorer, became an economic powerhouse in North America. As a main shipping route for coveted beaver pelts and other furs from the north, the waterway solidified its place in history and helped drive European settlement in Upstate New York.

The Hudson River continues to be an important part of the communities we serve in the New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) service area. As such, preserving the beauty of this natural feature is important to those communities and, in turn, is important to NYSEG.

The Riverkeeper River Sweep is an annual event that takes places in approximately 146 locations along the shores of the Hudson River and attracts thousands of volunteers to help preserve the natural beauty of the historic waterway. The Riverkeeper organization protects and restores the Hudson River from source to sea and organizes community events, like the annual Riverkeeper Sweep, to foster public interest and community investment into their efforts.

NYSEG, and later in partnership with the Avangrid Foundation, has been supporting the annual Riverkeeper Sweep for eight years as an event sponsor and through program investment. “The Hudson River and its shores are iconic and so important to the communities we serve in that region of New York,” said Nicole Grant, Director of the Avangrid Foundation. “This event is something that our employees can support in a meaningful way through volunteer efforts. A clean riverbank helps improve health, safety and quality of life and is integral to protecting and preserving an important natural habitat.”

The Riverkeeper River Sweep is an annual event that takes places in approximately 146 locations along the shores of the Hudson River and attracts thousands of volunteers to help preserve the natural beauty of the historic waterway. The Riverkeeper organization protects and restores the Hudson River from source to sea and organizes community events, like the annual Riverkeeper Sweep, to foster public interest and community investment into their efforts.

NYSEG, and later in partnership with the Avangrid Foundation, has been supporting the annual Riverkeeper Sweep for eight years as an event sponsor and through program investment. “The Hudson River and its shores are iconic and so important to the communities we serve in that region of New York,” said Nicole Grant, Director of the Avangrid Foundation. “This event is something that our employees can support in a meaningful way through volunteer efforts. A clean riverbank helps improve health, safety and quality of life and is integral to protecting and preserving an important natural habitat.”

On Saturday, May 1^st, after the winds calmed down and storm teams were deactivated, several NYSEG and AVANGRID employees traveled to the banks of the Hudson in the Mechanicville and Brewster divisions to do their part and participate in the event.

“It was a great day,” said Tom Garrity, Eastern Regional Manager of Government and Community Relations at NYSEG who worked alongside more than 30 other volunteers at the FDR Park in Yorktown Heights. “Everyone was motivated and thankful for our support. The park is used daily by residents and visitors alike, and it felt good to take part in this effort supported by our company.”

Melany Putman, Program Manager for Government and Community Relations in the Capital District, volunteered with colleagues at the Saratoga location and said, “It was a perfect day to get out and see co-workers while helping support a decade long partnership for the company. We had a great time working together raking and clearing paths to prepare them for use this summer.”

This year, the River Sweep event helped remove approximately 22.6 tons of trash from the Hudson and its tributaries, removed 154 tires, and planted more than 100 new trees.

“In terms of the number of project sites and volunteers, this is looking like our biggest year yet,” said Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay. “But beyond the numbers, Sweep is an invaluable opportunity to connect with people who care deeply about their waterways and neighborhoods — and to connect them with each other. Ultimately, we hope to spur even more sustained activism, so that when each new Sweep comes around, there’s less and less trash to pick up. And we’re starting to see that happen at many of our sites, which is incredibly rewarding.”

At one point, after Garrity had filled a bag with debris, an organizer said to him, “For every bag you fill, there are two thousand others doing it today, too. Every little bit helps!” And that was a great reminder of why we support this program.