River Relief

November 11, 2009

KC mayor honors MRR

Kansas City, MO, Mayor Mark Funkhouser came to our Oct. 3 Kansas City Clean-up expecting to help out for an hour or so. He was surprised instead to see hundreds of people boarding boats to clean up along this urban stretch of river. So he hopped on a MDC boat as well, and was impressed by what he saw.

So on Nov. 5, he presented a resolution to the KC City Council for approval, officially welcoming Missouri River Relief to Kansas City.

What an honor!

Our Middle Reach Manager Vicki Richmond was joined by our board president David Richter and VP David Stous to receive the honor at the City Council Legislative Session.

Here's a link to photos of the session, as well as some pics of Mayor Funkhouser at the clean-up»

Another bonus of getting the mayor on the river is that he has also resolved to help us get a wrecked Dodge Dakota removed from under the Main Street Pier (which we've had our eyes on for several years!).

Here's the wording of the resolution (much of it swiped straight from our website!)

RESOLUTION NO. 090948

Welcoming Missouri River Relief to Kansas City, Missouri.

WHEREAS, Missouri River Relief is a grassroots, volunteer and equipment-based organization dedicated to reconnecting people to the Missouri River through hands-on river clean-ups and educational events; and

WHEREAS, this organization emerged originally from a group of people in mid-Missouri who simultaneously recognized the need for engaged stewardship of the Missouri River and the desire of citizens to take part in watershed solutions; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, through an EPA grant, Missouri River Relief was able to expand the program and came to Kansas City for the first time with Vicki Richmond being hired as Middle Reach Program Manager; and

WHEREAS, the organization has grown each year and Missouri River Relief has participated in and hosted clean-ups in five states from the Mississippi River to Yankton, South Dakota; and

WHEREAS, Missouri River Relief has had more than 2,567 volunteers, picked up 73.34 tons of trash, traveled over 101 river miles, and had over 5,756 student volunteers in the Kansas City metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, river clean-ups engage people proactively in stewardship of the Missouri, often putting people on the river for the first time, while educating them about the problem of solid waste on our streams and rivers and physically bringing interested parties together to accomplish something real;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby welcome Missouri River Relief to Kansas City, Missouri; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Vicki Richmond, Middle Reach Program Manager, David Richter, President, and Dave Stous, Vice-President of Missouri River Relief, with the appreciation of the Mayor, Council and citizens of Kansas City for all the hard work being done to clean up the Missouri River.