Name: Military Veteran Lower Salt River Water-Based Cleanup
Start: 2025-05-17T07:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-05-17T12:30:00-07:00
Location: Phon D Sutton Recreation Area (GPS: 33.545795, -111.659794)

Military Veteran Lower Salt River Water-Based Cleanup

Natural Restorationsis a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in early 2015 by husband and wife team, Justin & Nicole Corey.  Natural Restorations conserves land through action, impact, and education. Their  mission is to remove trash & graffiti from outdoor recreation & wilderness areas, revitalize natural areas through replanting projects, and enrich the lives of Military Veterans & other community members. They accomplish their mission by hosting volunteer cleanup events throughout the year for community members, including youth volunteers, and they manage & support a Dedicated Restoration Team with contracted Military Veterans who conduct restorations beyond the reach of most volunteers.They  have removed over 1 million pounds (575.95 tons) of trash from outdoor recreation and wilderness areas across Arizona & they have removed over 40,000 square feet of graffiti painted on rocks and boulders. They have also removed and recycled 1,047 tires dumped in natural areas. In November 2020, they launched a Replanting Program. To date, they have planted 22,030 trees in the Cactus Fire burn area at the Lower Salt River that is part of the Lower Salt River Restoration Project with Program Managers from the EcoCulture team at NAU and we recently began the first phase replanting in the Bush Fire scar area.

Natural Restorations

Join Natural Restorations for a day paddling the river with other veterans while picking up trash & removing invasive apple snails!

Phon D Sutton Recreation Area (GPS: 33.545795, -111.659794)

<h3>Join Natural Restorations for a Lower Salt River Cleanup specifically for military veterans! If you're a veteran, we would love to have you join us on Saturday, May 17th from 7am to 12:30-1pm</h3> What to expect: We are meeting at Phon D to figure out shuttles for everyone &amp; sign-in. We will have our trucks &amp; trailers to help with the shuttle and any volunteers who can help shuttle volunteers would be greatly appreciated (email us to let us know you can help with shuttles). We'll shuttle up to Water Users at 7:30am to launch by 8am. We'll float the river picking up trash &amp; knocking invasive Apple Snail eggs into the water &amp; get out at Phon D where we will weigh the trash removed &amp; take it up to the dumpsters. We will wrap up with a free lunch for vets from Jimmy John's. We'll have sandwiches, chips, cookies, etc!Sign-in/Meet-up at Phon D: 7am | Head to Water Users: 7:30 am | Launch at Water Users: 8am | Get off the river at Phon D: 12:30-1pm | Lunch: once we weigh trash &amp; get everyone up to the top where the shaded picnic tables are.Please arrive at Phon D Sutton 7am so you sign-in with us &amp; we can figure out your shuttle ride up to Water Users. Temperatures are heating up so we will keep to our schedule to ensure we can get on the water early &amp; off before it gets too hot.This event is not open to anyone who is not a military veteran, it is part of a Veteran's Grant we received from the U.S. Forest Service and is specifically for veterans.Volunteer Paperwork: A few days before the event, we will send you a volunteer waiver. Please help us save time Saturday morning by printing the form, filling it out, and bring it with you. We will have extras on hand if you don't have access to a printer or forget your paperwork.7AM Event Staging Location: Phon D Sutton Recreation Area, Mesa, AZ 85264Directions: Everyone is meeting at Phon D Sutton Recreation Area for sign-in &amp; figuring out a shuttle for everyone. Safety briefing &amp; game plan for the morning will take place at Water Users while everyone gets ready to launch. When you arrive at Phon D, park, and walk over to the shaded picnic area towards the back of the parking lot and look for a Natural Restorations sign by the table we're at.GPS Coordinates: 33.545942, -111.660170***Do not use the EventBrite map to get there, it could send you to the wrong location. Use the GPS coordinates above to get to the event staging location***Plug the GPS coordinates above into your phone or mapping system, or search Phon D Sutton Recreation Area, Mesa, Arizona.This is a Water-Based Event! You need a kayak or paddle board! No equipment, No problem!Volunteers WITH their own kayaks &amp; SUP’s: Bring your kayak or SUP along with your personal flotation device (*pfd's required!). We will make sure everyone has a shuttle up to Water Users. If you can help with shuttling, please let us know! Our email is below.Volunteers WITHOUT their own kayaks &amp; SUP’s: No equipment? No Problem! Our friends at No Snow Standup Paddleboard are donating equipment rentals for veterans who do not have their own equipment, including 2 of their giant 4-person boards our team loves taking down the river. Must reserve equipment with Natural Restorations in advance!To reserve euqipment, please email Nicole at contact@naturalrestorations.orgShuttles: We are going to work together to ensure everyone has a shuttle up to Water Users. We'll have two trucks &amp; trailers to shuttle people &amp; equipment. If you are willing to help shuttle volunteers, please email Nicole at contact@naturalrestorations.orgWhat to wear: Check the forecast before you head out so you can be prepared &amp; dress accordingly. Please wear comfortable clothing for being out on the river &amp; shoes that can get dirty, wet, and possibly muddy if you choose to get off your board &amp; get in muddy areas. Wear a hat, sunglasses for eye protection, and sunscreen. If you have water shoes or an old pair of shoes, this would be a great time to use them.What to bring: Bring all of the water you will need to be on the river for several hours; please take this very seriously &amp; do not arrive unprepared. Bring sunscreen for reapplication throughout the morning. We strongly recommend you have a dry bag for your cell phone and car keys! A bag will be helpful to store your water &amp; snacks. Carabiners are great to bring to help you clip water bottles &amp; dry bags to your board. We will provide gloves, bags, &amp; trash grabbers. You are welcome to bring your own gloves &amp; grabbers if you have them.*If you have any allergies that you carry an epi-pen and antihistamines for, please do not forget to bring them with you. This is a wilderness area along the Lower Salt River so it’s best to prepare for anything.Snacks/Lunch: We will have light snacks for volunteers to grab before we launch, have a way to store them in a pocket or bag. If you have any dietary restrictions, you may want to bring your own snack. You could bring a small cooler to attach to your board if you want cold beverages and snacks. We are picking up sandwiches from Jimmy John's along with chips &amp; cookies for a free lunch for everyone when we get off the river. Tonto Recreation Pass: You do NOT need one to participate in our event! We will give you something to put on your windshield if you don't already have a pass through your service.Bathrooms: There are vault toilets open to the public at Phon D, Water Users, &amp; other rec sites along the river.Upcoming Vet Events: We are also hosting 3 additional events like this on 6/7, 8/2, &amp; 9/13. Stay tuned for details &amp; registration!If you have any other questions, please email Nicole at contact@naturalrestorations.org

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Military Veteran Lower Salt River Water-Based Cleanup

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