BASS LAKE — About 40 good-hearted local residents volunteered to tidy up around Bass Lake on Friday, July 5, after a local youth minister put out the call to pull on the gloves, grab the trash bags and get busy taking care of the annual post-holiday mess.
Youth pastor Tim Miller of The Grove Foursquare Church in Ahwahnee invited the community to pitch in to pick up trash starting at 9 a.m. the morning after the July fourth extravaganza when thousands of people flock to the lake, often failing to pack out what they pack in. The community group did not disappoint — with scores of friends and neighbors meeting on time for a confab at The Forks parking lot on the south shore.
Miller has lived here all his life and said earlier this week he’s complained plenty of times about the lake being dirty after the Independence Day holiday and it doesn’t really help. So this year, he was willing to stop complaining and do something about it and hoped others will join in with the idea of getting people in the community working together toward the same good cause.
“It was fun! Everybody we ran into around the lake thanked us for what we were doing,” says Miller. “I think we were able to divide and conquer well.”
It’s a sure sign an event has gone well when organizers are already planning the next time around.
“[We’re] excited to make this an annual thing that people automatically know about and can look forward to,” plots Miller. “Fifth of July Bass Lake clean up day!”
