Blue HERYN participants make extra effort to pick up tires, other litter during June 8 Penns Creek trip

As with each program provided by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, an effort to talk about waterway concerns and make some sort of impact is a key focus.

The June 8, 2026, Blue HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing half-day sojourn down Penns Creek included a massive haul of litter being picked up -- mainly in the form of tires. A bunch of discarded tires were found along the entire six-mile paddle, but participants made an extra effort to pull them from the creek as the journey neared its end.

There was an especially large number of tires stuck into the creek bed just above the town of New Berlin. Participants dove in to grab what they could for the final leg of the trip. 

"It was really nice to see the participants freely motivated to gather up tires," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Board President Michael Kinney. 

Jayce Hagenbuch and Isaac Bankert, especially, loaded down their kayaks with numerous trash-related objects, including an umbrella and a trash can lid, but all 11 participants got involved in the floating cleanup process.

"This is what it is all about. Learning to love this resource and then taking action to make it better," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky.

Check out additional photos from the trip, which is offered to graduates of the association's introductory HERYN program. Learn more about HERYN offerings at this link.