Big Sweep 2000

Inmates removed this abandoned houseboat from Lake James before they dismantled it and disposed of the remains.

Fifty trainees from IMPACT West in Morganton boarded pontoon boats on Lake Lure and Lake Rhodiss to gather trash along those shores. Meanwhile, 10 inmates from Black Mountain Correctional Center for Women conducted trash patrol along the banks of the French Broad River near Asheville.

Down East, 24 inmates from Pasquotank Correctional Center cleared 70 bags of trash form the banks of Simons Creek and Newbegun Creek while 60 trainees from IMPACT East volunteered to help clean up areas around the town of Hoffman.

Inmates from Sandhills Youth Institution worked 98 hours to clear limbs, vegetation and trash in Hoke County and inmates from Tyrrell Correctional Center picked up 121 bags of trash in Bertie County.

In the central part of the state, inmates from Rowan Correctional Center picked up trash at Dutch Second Creek Wildlife Access on High Rock Lake. Inmates from Dan River Work Farm in Caswell County went to work at sites in Alamance, Caswell, Stokes and Rockingham counties. They hauled in 625 bags of trash, 21 appliances, 26 pieces of furniture and 188 tires. Inmates from Davidson Correctional Center and North Piedmont CCW worked 240 hours gathering trash around Davidson County while inmates from Durham Correctional Center collected 70 bags of trash, along with tires and old mattresses.

September 16, 2000 Inmates help clean waterways during Big Sweep
A team of inmates aboard a pontoon boat gathers trash along the shore of Lake James.	Offenders and employees from the Department of Correction facilities across the state joined forces with community volunteers this weekend for North Carolina Big Sweep 2000 -- an effort to remove trash from waterways in all of North Carolina's 100 counties. During this year's Big Sweep, offenders from 11 Department of Correction facilities worked more than 2100 hours collecting trash from North Carolinas rivers, lakes and streams.
In Western North Carolina, 90 inmate volunteers and 20 correctional officers from Marion Correctional Institution and Rutherford Correctional Center spread out across Lake James in boats piloted by members of the Marion Moose Lodge. By early afternoon, the teams had hauled in 11.5 tons of trash and even dismantled an abandoned houseboat. Inmates from Catawba Correctional Center worked 160 hours collecting tires and trash from sites in Catawba County.

September 16, 2000