RIVER RALLY DRAWS 1,500.

Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Eric Ramirez and his little brother Austin never knew picking up trash could be so much fun, but the gem-like rocks they discovered along with bottles, cans and cigarette butts Saturday during the annual riverbed cleanup made it all worth it.

``There was some really nasty stuff out there, but it was kinda fun,'' said Eric, 9, who, with Boy Scout Troop 494, helped as many as 1,500 volunteers for Santa Clarita's eighth annual River Rally to beautify the Santa Clara River.

Cigarette butts again topped the list of most plentiful refuse collected during the event that organizers estimate cleared more than 8 tons of trash and debris from the riverbed.

Beginning at the command post near the Wiley Canyon bridge just east of Orchard Village Road, swarms of volunteers armed themselves with knit gloves and plastic waste bags before setting out on an altruistic scavenger hunt that produced everything from old mattresses and chairs to, for one lucky boy, a $10 bill hiding among the dust and shrubs.

Sponsored by the city of Santa Clarita, the event included exhibitors such as the Castaic Lake Water Agency, Friends of the River and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works - all housed under a tent, where children colored and snacked on donated food.

``It never ceases to amaze the city staff how much people care for their community,'' said Heather Merenda, a planner with the city's environmental services division. ``Santa Clarita is a gem. We're lucky to have a good enough community where we can have this event.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Volunteers armed with plastic waste bags clear trash from the Santa Clara River on Saturday.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer