Dean Peterson moved into the area 4 years ago, and with the move came a new passion... canoeing.

Dean says, "It's just beautiful out there, and it just floored me that there's places like this so close to a city this size."Although he loves being on the river, there is one major problem... trash.Dean says, "It's something you don't like, but it's society now a days, most people are good, but there's always some people... that cans are going to go out the window."So Dean and other members of the Mankato Paddling and Outings Club are taking matters into their own hands.

Today and tomorrow they'll be cleaning up the Blue Earth and Le Sueur Rivers, for the 15th year in a row...Why? They have an easy answer...Dean says, "I think it's very important, people don't like to look at garbage, they just don't, people like clean things it's as simple as that."Patrick Baskfield says, "To go down a river and not see trash, it gives you more of a feel of kind of a wild untampered with environment.

Along the banks of the river, volunteers find bottles and beer cans and other things left behind.  They say it's finding these things that help inspire them to keep the river nice for everyone to use.

Dean says, "I guess I get a good feeling because we're accomplishing something, we're leaving the place better than it was when we came, and it's a good feeling."

The clean-up days include canoes on the river, and ground crews checking landings and access points.Club members say it's a great way to promote our local rivers.Patrick says, "I think they are very underutilized, but they are also an absolutely incredible resource."A resource the club will continue to keep clean...Dean says, "As long as there's trash... if people would quit throwing trash, then we might quit.