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Volunteers Pull Nearly 400 Pounds Of Trash From Sweetwater Branch Creek

People from around the community volunteered this weekend to clean up a local Gainesville creek.

Whether it was in the plants or in the creek water, the nonprofit organization Current Problems along with other volunteers came together to clean up debris and trash in Sweetwater Branch Creek.

Current Problems' Executive Director Nicole Llinas said creeks like it have a bigger impact on our water sources than most people think.

“The creeks go straight to the rivers, which go straight to the ocean, or it goes straight to our aquifer," she said. "So either way, it’s impacting all of our water sources, including our drinking water.”

She hopes to completely clean the four-block stretch.

“This smaller space — since it’s confined, I’m hoping to get all of the debris out of the creek.”

Current Problems President Dan Rountree said it’s an opportunity to do more than just help the community.

“It’s a cleanup," he said, "but it’s also an educational and awareness opportunity.”

Volunteers like Jonathan Evans, of Starke, said the work matched his personality.

“I’m not really much of a talker," he said. "I’m more of a doer."

They collected a total of 398 pounds of debris and trash.