More than one thousand volunteers from the mid-West including Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota gathered along the Mississippi today in a national effort to clean up the river and the land around it. The event: the Great Mississippi River Cleanup.

"It's a little difficult because it's flooded, but we found a public area here that's been sort of an unofficial dump spot, so we're cleaning that up," said Hannibal Resident Bill Martin.

Their work began at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, as they signed up for a day's worth of heat and picking through trash and recycables.

"We find anywhere from couches to toilets, to plastics and bottles, lots of beer bottles, that people just throw to the side and say, well one won't be bad. But it all adds up," said a volunteer from Chaddock. "With our economy and all the money we've wasted, recycling all that stuff helps a lot of people."

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The events primary facilitator, ADM, joined with Chaddock and other groups, including local fishermen who patroled the waters.

"There are a number of boats on the river, about eight, maybe," said Martin. "This is one of the larger volunteer events they've organized."

It's a cause people of all ages can get behind.

"It's been really encouraging seeing another young generation that is interested in recycling and taking care of the earth," said Chaplain Gary Livesay.

This event goes throughout the whole weekend along the Mississippi, including areas in Fort Madison, Louisiana and Keokuk.