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Cummins/Sound Rivers host 6th joint cleanup

Environmental, Sound Rivers, Tar-Pamlico Watershed, Volunteer, Volunteers, Water Quality

Posted on July 3rd, 2026

CLEANUP: Sound Rivers and Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant teamed up for another river cleanup last Friday. More than 20 Cummins volunteers took to the river via kayak along with Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman, Executive Director Heather Deck and Program Director Clay Barber. Pictured is Clay in the process of launching volunteers into the river (and, by the looks of it, having a great time doing it!). While we're waiting on an official number of how many pounds of trash were removed from the Tar River (from Nashville Road to Sunset Park), Clay said the low level of water in the Tar River (due to drought) made it easy to find and collect the trash: "You could see the soda cans gleaming on the bottom and just reach down with grabbers to pick them up."

Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck paddles the Tar River on a kayak laden with trash she pulled from the water. Deck and team of more than 20 volunteers from Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant hosted the river cleanup last Friday.
Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman and a Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant volunteer removing trash from the river via kayak during last Friday’s cleanup. The plastic chair is just one of several interesting items that somehow ended up the river.

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