Marilyn DuFour is a Senior Environmental Specialist for the City of Toledo – Environmental Services. She has worked for the City for over 20 years.  Marilyn has been involved in our Clean Your Streams Day as a Kickoff Coordinator since 2000.  (That’s 19 years!)  She is also very involved in the Rain Garden Initiative.  Her environmental passion stems from an early age as a Girl Scouts and being part of the Ohio Youth Conservation Corps.  She continued to develop her environmental skillset by majoring in Environmental Biology from Heidelburg University, then going on to join the US Peace Corps.  We would like to express our gratitude for all Marilyn has done for PCS and for being a solid partner and supporter!

We work year-round to protect our local waterways that feed into Lake Erie.   We hope you will join us in working for clean, clear, and safe water through any of our annual programs.  We are looking for volunteers, sponsors, and donors to support our mission of healthy communities and healthy rivers, streams, and lake.  There are so many ways to get involved and support our streams.

• Winter:
  • Huntington Center Concessions Crew: PCS is participating in a fundraising opportunity by serving snacks at certain Huntington Center events.   We receive a portion of the proceeds that go directly to serving our streams!  Sign up online to volunteer with us!
    • Feb. 10^th 3:00-9:00pm (Walleye Game)
    • March 24^th 3:00-9:00pm (Walleye Game)
• Spring:
  • Youth Patch Day: 2^nd - 5^th graders complete a water quality workshop to learn about our watersheds and how to protect them.  This workshop encourages a new generation of water stewards.  Sign up your youth today!
    • March 3^rd 1:30-4:30pm
  • Glass City Marathon: PCS is the Green Team at the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon.  We recycle thousands of pounds plastic, cardboard, aluminum, glass, and more to make the marathon as sustainable as possible. Our efforts prevent marine debris from entering the Ottawa River and ultimately flowing into Lake Erie.  Sign up to do your part during Earth Month!
    • April 27^th 8:00-11:00am
    • April 28^th 8:00-11am and 11:00-2:30pm
  • Fishing Line Recycling Bins: Currently, we have over 40 fishing line recycling bins distributed at fishing hot spots throughout the greater Toledo area.  PCS collects the fishing line, cleans it, and sends it into Berkley Conservation Institute to be recycled.  This program reduces the amount of fishing line that ends up in our rivers, entangling wildlife and remaining in the ecosystem for over 600 years. You can sponsor, adopt, or host a bin!
• Summer:
  • CYS 365: This small-scale, specialized Clean Your Streams Day can be done anytime during the year. Summer is the prime time to get out with us and help us clean up a targeted location of your choosing.  This summer, we will be working with partners at Wood County Parks and Metroparks to offer public canoe paddle cleanups to get out to unfrequented islands.  Schedule your own CYS 365 with us or check out our calendar for upcoming canoe cleanups!
  • Get the Lead Out: PCS schedules GLOs throughout the summer to target fishing line, lead, and lures that get left behind during the Walleye and White Bass runs during the spring.  Volunteers help us scour the banks of the Maumee River to remove fishing debris and help ensure that our waterways are healthy for the fish that live in them and the people that enjoy fishing. 
• Fall
  • Clean Your Streams 23: Our largest annual program has continued to grow for over two decades.  Last year, 1,109 volunteers spread out to 75 cleanup sites and removed over 35,000 pounds of marine debris from local waterways. This is an excellent way for youth groups, schools, businesses, and families to have a positive impact on our community and environment while having fun.  Consider sponsoring this program to show your dedication to improving water quality in our area.

We all need clean water and therefore we all have a responsibility to ensuring that our rivers, streams, and Lake Erie remain viable and vital for future generations. We offer many unique ways for you to make a tangible impact on our water resources.  Check out our website for more information on what we do and how you can get involved or call our office at (419) 874-0727.