Project AWARE, the annual vacation and volunteer effort by paddlers and others, is set to clean 65 miles of the Wapsipinicon River between Independence and Olin July 11-16. Early registration ends June 19. Participants will remove trash from the river and  learn about watersheds, water quality, recycling and other natural resource topics. Volunteers can officially join the river cleanup by paddling the river or by assisting with land-based recycling initiatives, but there are opportunities for others to experience Project AWARE as well. Evening programs are open to the public. Read more