The Stanislaus River is a little bit cleaner thanks to the efforts of 30 volunteers and River Journey Adventures.

The Knights Ferry-based river rafting company hosted one of numerous river clean up events on Friday, July 13. The next event will be hosted Thursday, July 26 beginning at 10 a.m.

“We run these about twice a month,” River Journey Adventures owner Dave Voortman said. “We just really want to keep the river clean.”

In an effort to maintain cleanliness along the Stanislaus River, Voortman shared the company also partners with service groups, high school students and 4H groups. For volunteer clean ups like that hosted on July 13, the company supplies volunteers with a free raft or kayak rental, as well as trash bags to pick up trash along the Stanislaus River.

Clean up events are hosted from June to August each year and conclude the third Saturday in September each year in conjunction with Coastal Clean Up Day. That’s an event which Voortman shared draws a crowd of over 100 volunteers from varying groups throughout the county.

“The river is back to normal,” the business owner said of the Stanislaus flow. “We’re back to the nice float trip that everyone is used to out here. I just wish we didn’t have to do the clean up.”

Voortman said his company takes a proactive approach when renting rafts or kayaks to float down the river, routinely equipping customers with trash bags for their trips and educating them on what to take and not to take. Glass being at the top of the list of ‘don’t take’, he said people have been respectful of that request overall.

For additional information on future clean up opportunities, interested persons may call 800-292-2938.