On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, representatives from the Oak Ridge Power Squadron presented Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTnRB) with a $78,364 check.

Volunteers work together to pull a water-saturated piece of dock foam from the shore.

The donation is one of the top three largest private donations that the nonprofit has received to date. In fact, the Oak Ridge Power Squadron has given KTnRB two of its largest private donations to date after donating $79,000 in 2024.

“We’re grateful to the Oak Ridge Power Squadron for their commitment to protecting Melton Hill Lake over the years and for the long-lasting impact that their donated dollars will make on the entire seven-state Tennessee River watershed,” said Kathleen Gibi, Executive Director for the river cleanup nonprofit that launched its first work boat in 2019.

Steve Lewis of the Melton Hill Lake Users Association shows how litter cleanup is done!

The check presentation ceremony was followed by a cleanup on Melton Hill Lake at which seven volunteers removed 2,058 lbs. of trash, including 29 bags of litter and 25 tires.

Gibi noted that the donation received last year from the Oak Ridge Power Squadron went a long way in their river cleanup efforts, contributing to both capital purchases and regular operating expenses for KTnRB efforts. Some examples of how last year’s donation was used include:

Upgrades to both trucks, including navigational screens to enhance the safety of driving the trucks while towing boats

A camper top for the organization’s second truck purchased in 2024
Roof racks on both trucks to hold kayaks that are used to push to land the litter floating in waters too deep for volunteers cleaning the shorelines to reach
Life vests for volunteers riding in the organization’s second, most recently purchased boat
Unique insurance policies that cover the use of boats in the water, cleanups on land, transporting the boats to cleanups, and storing everything in between
Welding upgrades made to both 26-work boats including protected lights (that are less likely to get busted up while trash is being loaded on) and custom tire changing kit boxes for the trailers
Regular maintenance for the KTnRB fleet, such as boat welding repairs as well as servicing the trucks and boat trailers

Volunteers discovered a cove with 22 tires and formed a human chain to get them off of the boggy shoreline and into the trash boat.

The Oak Ridge Power Squadron (ORPS) incorporated in 1947 and was the first inland Power Squadron. The original charter was presented March 10, 1947 by the late Captain Hyman Rickover who later became known as the ‘Father of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Program’ and a four-star admiral.

ORPS is a non-profit educational organization and part of a unit of District 17 of the U.S. Power Squadron now America's Boating Club. The squadron’s mission is to improve maritime safety and enjoyability through classes in seamanship, navigation and other related subjects.

Volunteers ride to the next cove to clean.

Through the years the Squadron was able to obtain property for meetings, community events and classes. The squadron saw an opportunity to become philanthropic and align its mission with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.

“Between the two entities our hope is to continue safe boating, education and enjoyment of the precious Tennessee River for future generations,” said Jack O’Hearn, a long-time ORPS board member and one of the newest members on the KTNRB Board of Directors.

Immediately following the check presentation, local volunteers boarded KTNRB’s two 26-foot aluminum work boats to participate in a Melton Hill Lake cleanup as part of KTNRB’s 2025 river cleanup calendar.

This year marks the second consecutive year for the nonprofit to have a sponsored goal to remove 200,000 lbs. of trash from local waterways. With 102,590 lbs. of trash removed by nearly 500 volunteers already this year, KTnRB is on course to reach the milestone of 1,000,000 lbs. of trash removed from the Tennessee River watershed since putting their first boats in the water in 2019.

“We are so grateful to the Oak Ridge Power Squadron for its decades of educational support and sharing its passion of our beloved waters,” said Mark Huber, KTNRB Board President. “Let's draw inspiration from the Oak Ridge Power Squadron’s ageless devotion as we write the next chapter in the Tennessee River's story.”