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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><img width="324" height="73" style="width:3.375in;height:.7583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01DA6AF3.7F5C3F00" alt="Title: City of Durham Communications Department"><span style="font-size:1.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="color:#00467E">News Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a href="mailto:CommsMedia@DurhamNC.gov">CommsMedia@DurhamNC.gov</a><span style="color:#00467E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:50.0pt;color:#00467F">News Release</span><span style="color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#EF3D42">For Immediate Release: February 29, 2024</span><span style="color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:14.0pt">Durham Creek Week Offers Volunteer Opportunities to Care for Local Waterways</span></b><i><span lang="EN" style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="normaltextrun"><i>March Activities Include Public Cleanups, Workdays, and Free Creek and Trail Events</i></span><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"> </span><span class="eop"> </span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun">DURHAM, N.C. – </span><span lang="EN">Many Durham waterways need tender loving care and people interested in lending a helping hand can now sign up to participate in the 16<sup>th</sup> annual
</span><a href="http://www.durhamcreekweek.org/"><span lang="EN">Durham Creek Week</span></a><span lang="EN">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>What You Need to Know<o:p></o:p></b></p>
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<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Durham Creek Week will be observed March 16-23.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Participants can learn how to improve the health of waterways.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Activities include litter cleanups, volunteer workdays, creek, and trail exploration events.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hosted by the <a href="https://www.durhamnc.gov/692/Stormwater-Division">
City of Durham Public Works Department Stormwater Division</a> and <a href="https://keepdurhambeautiful.org">
Keep Durham Beautiful</a>, Durham <span lang="EN">Creek Week will be observed March 16-23.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN">This annual event is a community effort with volunteer opportunities and activities to help people of all ages and abilities learn more about creeks, rivers, and lakes. Participants will also be able to take action to
help keep waterways healthy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN">Throughout the week, residents can join litter cleanups, explore nature, or go on paddling adventures. Residents may also join in from home by playing Creek Week Bingo or reading books listed on the educational resource
guide. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">“During Durham Creek Week we see the power of individuals and community groups who want to make a difference for clean water,” said Laura Smith, senior communications analyst with the<span lang="EN"> City’s Public Works Department Stormwater
Division</span>. “Working together we can prevent litter pollution in Durham and help our water environments thrive.”
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN">Since 2009, Durham Creek Week has been celebrated during the third week of March. More than 4,800 volunteers have collected 210,000+ pounds of litter to date. The City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Impact Team and
the Durham County General Services Department will partner again this year to ensure collected litter is properly disposed of and/or recycled.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN">To join litter cleanup events and to see other activities, visit the
</span><a href="http://www.durhamcreekweek.org"><span lang="EN">Durham Creek Week website</span></a><span lang="EN">. For additional information, contact Smith at (919) 560-4326, ext. 30235 or by
</span><a href="mailto:Laura.Smith@DurhamNC.gov"><span lang="EN">email</span></a><span lang="EN">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN" style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span lang="EN">About the Public Works Department Stormwater Division<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN">The </span><a href="https://www.durhamnc.gov/692/Stormwater-Division"><span lang="EN">Stormwater</span></a><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/692/Stormwater-GIS-Services"><span lang="EN"> Division</span></a><span lang="EN">
with the City of Durham Public Works Department is guided by the City’s </span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/183/Strategic-Plan"><span lang="EN">Strategic Plan</span></a><span lang="EN"> goals of thriving and vibrant environment and innovative and high-performing
organization. Activities include storm drainage design and plans review; inspecting and maintaining City-owned drainage systems; enforcing stormwater ordinances and regulations; education and outreach; stream monitoring, restoration, and watershed master planning.
To learn more, visit the division’s </span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/692/Stormwater-GIS-Services"><span lang="EN">webpage</span></a><span lang="EN"> and follow on
</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DurhamNCStormwater"><span lang="EN">Facebook</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN">,</span></span><span lang="EN">
</span><a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamStormH2O"><span lang="EN">X</span></a><span lang="EN">, and
</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/durhamstormh2o/"><span lang="EN">Instagram</span></a><span lang="EN">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white">About Keep Durham Beautiful</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color:black"><br>
</span><a href="http://www.keepdurhambeautiful.org/"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">Keep Durham Beautiful</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white">
<span lang="EN">is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the
</span></span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/733/General-Services"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">City of Durham General Services Department</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white"> and
</span><a href="http://dconc.gov/"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">Durham County</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white"> to encourage residents, businesses, and community organizations
to protect the environment and enhance the appearance of Durham through cleanup events, beautification projects, waste reduction, and educational activities. To learn more, visit the
</span><a href="http://www.keepdurhambeautiful.org/"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">website</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white"> and follow on
</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/KeepDurhamBeautiful"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">Facebook</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white">,
</span><a href="https://instagram.com/keepdurhambeautiful/"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">Instagram</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white">,
</span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/keepdurhambeautiful/"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">Flickr</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white"> and
</span><a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamBeautiful"><span lang="EN" style="background:white;mso-highlight:white">X</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN" style="color:black;background:white;mso-highlight:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<o:p></o:p></p>
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