~ from Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful
WHAT: Disaster relief river cleanup of the Nolichucky River, removal of extensive debris remaining from Hurricane Helene
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025 – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHERE: 10 a.m. – Groups meet at Chuckey Doak Middle School Parking Lot (120 Chuckey Doak Rd., Afton, TN)
10:30 a.m. – Volunteer Group 1 breaks out to cleanup sites
- Parking lot under Kinser bridge (3575 Erwin Hwy, Afton, TN)
- Whitewater put-in at Sandbar Rd. under Hwy 351 for rafters to clean on Lost Island and collect debris on the nine-mile route to take out at Kinser Bridge
2 p.m. – Volunteer Group 2 meets at Chuckey Doak Middle School parking lot and breaks to same sites as Volunteer Group 1
WHO: Elected officials present at 10 a.m. kickoff will include Tusculum Mayor Alan Corely, Town of Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty, and State Representative David Hawk, Organizing partners of the event include Keep Greene Beautiful, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, Green County Partnership, David Crockett Birthplace State Park, USA Rafts, Nolichucky Restoration Project, Nolichucky Outdoor Recreation Association, and more
Keep Greene Beautiful reached out to Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful to address significant debris remaining in the Greene County portion of the Nolichucky River following Hurricane Helene, which struck in October 2024.
In a remarkable response and quick turnaround from planning that began in November, a preliminary cleanup will be held on the Nolichucky River covering nine river miles within Greene County. Local elected officials will attend the kickoff for the cleanup, which has already seen 27 volunteers register.
USA Rafts will provide rafts and river guides to transport volunteers to cleanup areas accessed by water, and local organizers will oversee the land-based site cleanups on what is sure to be a groundbreaking river cleanup and unforgettable day for all involved!
