The Big Muddy is still muddy but after a more than one hundred volunteers gathered for an organized cleanup Saturday morning, the banks of the river are now a little cleaner.
The Sugar Creek Missouri River Cleanup was organized by Missouri River Relief, an organization that promotes restoration of the river along with offering education programs and recreational events on the river.
Past cleanup events have gathered tons of debris. The volunteers gathered at LaBenite Park in Sugar Creek. Boats are provided to transport the volunteers along miles of riverbank so they can pull from the muck the odd assortment of items that have floated down the river and taken root in its banks.
With the bulk of the Kansas City metro area up river from the area being cleaned, one can only imagine the things that make their way into the river and end up on its banks. The organizers of the cleanup keep close track of what the volunteers find. Awards are given for trash finds that fit a variety of categories. Among the awards, volunteers can win for finding the weirdest trash, most fashionable trash, must useful trash and trash most likely to used as a weapon.
The Star ventured out with the volunteers to see what they would find. Here are photos from the cleanup effort and a look at some of the things people found.
A volunteer hands out life jackets to people attending a cleanup event held by Missouri River Relief on April 12, 2025. Volunteers rode boats down the river to various locations along the banks to clean up litter and trash. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Trash is piled along the banks of the Missouri River during cleanup event held by Missouri River Relief on April 12, 2025. Volunteers rode boats down the river to various locations along the banks to clean up litter and trash. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Sisters Lorraine Hills and Lisa LaCombe fill a trash bag with trash from the banks of the Missouri River during an event Saturday held by Missouri River Relief. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Volunteers clean up trash at the bank of the Missouri River Saturday during an event held by Missouri River Relief. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Lisa LaCombe and her granddaughter, Reece, 8, ride in a boat on the Missouri River during an event held by Missouri River Relief. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Lisa LaCombe pulls a large piece of plastic from the banks of the Missouri River during Saturday’s cleanup event. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
A volunteer held up a bicycle wheel found during Saturday’s cleanup event. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
A troll doll found along the riverbank is held up during Saturday’s cleanup event. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
A bald eagle watched the cleanup efforts Saturday along the Missouri River. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Volunteers can win awards for finding the best pieces of trash in different categories. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Volunteers fill bags of trash from the banks of the Missouri River during Saturday’s cleanup event. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
A volunteer holds up a hatchet found in the muddy riverbank along the Missouri River. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
All sorts of things end up in the Missouri River where they are moved along by the powerful currents in the river until they eventually end up on the riverbanks. Some of the items gathered by volunteers were put in piles during Saturday’s cleanup event. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Items found during Saturday’s cleanup are piled in front of signs designating various categories to be judged for the best piece of trash in that category. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
This story was originally published April 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
Dominick Williams serves as a visual journalist for the Kansas City Star. His journalistic endeavors cover a diverse array of topics, notably sports, breaking news, human interest narratives, and culinary features.
