The Virginia Tech Roanoke Graduate Student Association (RGSA) – a mix of medical students, Ph.D. students, and Master’s students – are collaborating with Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC faculty and staff to host a Roanoke River Greenway cleanup this Saturday, Sept. 28, at mile marker 23.2 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
After adopting a 0.3-mile stretch of the Roanoke River Greenway earlier this year, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC faculty, staff, and students have met every couple of months to collect plastic, trash, and debris from the riverbank. During the last cleanup, which took place in June, 18 volunteers from the research institute removed more than 300 pounds of garbage, including bottle caps, ragged clothing, plastic bags – even a dismantled mountain bike.
“Our regular river cleanups are a great example of how the people at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute feel like they’re part of this wonderful community in Roanoke,” said Michael Friedlander, vice president for health sciences Virginia Tech and executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. “Our team is committed to giving back, not just through public lecture series or science outreach in schools, but also by doing important community service projects that can make a positive impact here.”
The research institute and the RGSA adopted the greenway between Franklin Road, mile marker 23.2, and Carilion Clinic Roanoke Memorial Hospital, mile marker 23.5. Through a collaboration with the City of Roanoke and Trails and Greenway Coordinator, Renee Powers, this volunteer initiative aims to protect the environment while promoting health and wellness in the community.
