If faith can move mountains, perhaps the faith and perspiration of a small army of volunteers can remove piles of unsightly garbage from Lawrence County riverbanks Saturday.

The annual Ohio River Sweep will be 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday, June 16. It is sponsored annually by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District.

LSSWMD Education Coordinator Stephanie Helms said this year, there are two cleanup sites: the South Point boat dock and the Center Street landing in Ironton. In previous years the cleanup also encompassed the Indian Guyan boat dock in Braddrick but the condition of the boat ramp does not allow for use this year.

Last year 11 volunteers signed on to pick up trash at the South Point and Indian Guyan sites and 47 volunteers fanned out at the Ironton site. Helms said she hopes as many or more will take part again this year.

“Last year we were able to pick up 118 bags of trash,” Helms said. “We saw the typical stuff like pop cans and fast food bags and then every now and again we got something odd like a tire or an old chair or a microwave.”

On a regional scale, the river cleanup extends the entire length of the river and encompass six states.

Volunteers will get a free tee shirt and refreshments. It is highly recommended that volunteers wear old clothes and sturdy shoes. Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

For more information, call the solid waste district at (740) 532-1231.