DINGMAN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- On hot summer days, you can usually find people kayaking up and down the Delaware River.
But one crowd wasn't there for sport, they were volunteering at the annual "On and Under the Delaware River Cleanup" near Milford.
"I live in Delaware Water Gap and spend a lot of time in kayaks, my husband and I, and we really love this place and want to protect it," said Sue Simister.
The event has been taking place every summer for the last 30 years. It's sponsored by Kittatinny Canoes.
"It's great and we couldn't do it without the volunteers. They are the ones doing the work. They are dedicated volunteers and some of them have been here for almost all the cleanups. There's a lot of new people and a lot of seasoned veterans that have done it for many, many years," said David Jones, owner of Kittatinny Canoes.
While volunteers do enjoy cleaning up the river, it's the thrill of what they find below the water that keeps them coming back each year.
"The years that I have done it, we found a lot of trash. I don't know how many tons they found so far, but it's amazing how much they are pulling out," said Richard Aldridge, Georgia.
In the past, cars, phone booths, safes, and more have been picked up. These days, it's mostly tires, cans, and other odds and ends.
Richard Aldridge lives in Georgia now, but used to call the Poconos home. He has volunteered at the event before. While back on vacation, he brought his family to help.
"This water is precious, and you can't just throw your trash in it. This river cleanup is amazing, all the volunteers and I really just feel blessed to be out here taking part in it," said Aldridge.
Organizers say more than 450 tons of trash has been picked up on the river since the cleanup started 30 years ago.