How to get involved

The Imperial Sand Dunes are great for fun and play, but they need to be kept clean to stay that way.

That's why United Desert Gateway (UDG), a nonprofit coalition of Yuma County, Brawley and El Centro chambers of commerce, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management have partnered up to organize events to keep the dunes clean.

"It's really a stewardship project in keeping the dunes clean and open for family recreation. So it's being a good steward of the land," said Cathy Kennerson, chief financial officer for the UDG.

Hundreds of people attend mini-cleanups throughout the year while thousands more take part in the large annual cleanup that takes place each Martin Luther King weekend, she said.

"They want to make sure their toy box is clean out there," she said.

And although most participants are duners themselves, the cleanup events are opened to everybody.

Those interested just need to show up at one of the registration points and have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, since the cleanup isn't just concentrated around the registration area, Kennerson said.

Trash bags and trash receptacles are provided by the organizers to collect the tons of trash that's brought in.

Kennerson has seen things collected such as carpet, abandoned cars, car parts, batteries, shells of cars and personal trash, she said.

Two dune outreach trucks were donated to UDG and are driven by volunteers who help clean up during the week and hand out donated trash bags. The trucks are paid for by the sponsors printed on the truck.

During the annual MLK cleanup, a Take Pride in America event, participants get a free lunch, a T-shirt and the opportunity to win prizes during the drawing.

For every bag filled with trash that people bring in, they'll receive one ticket for the drawing.

"So the more trash they pick up the more drawing tickets they get, (the) higher their chances, obviously, of winning a great gift," Kennerson said.

Gifts are donated by local businesses and include sports game tickets, helmets, T-shirts, buggy parts, coolers and other objects duners use and need.

The UDG is always looking for volunteers, but those who can't go out can still show support by sponsoring the event.

Volunteers are needed to register people and money is needed to fund the event as well as the mini-cleanups to keep them going each year.

"I think it's a great cleanup event in terms of the amount of support and people that come out to the dunes and be good stewards of the land. So, we're excited to partner with the Bureau of Land Management to put this together," Kennerson said.

BE THERE

11th Annual ISDRA Martin Luther King Weekend Cleanup

*Jan. 19

*Registration at 8 a.m.

*North Dunes - Glamis Flats (main stage area), Gecko Road, Oldsmobile Hill, Roadrunner, Wash Road

*South Dunes - Gordon's Well (main stage area), Buttercup (vendors row), Midway, Ogilby Camp (past the tower toward the south)

*Lunch: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.; North Dunes, Glamis Flats; South Dunes, Gordon's Well Vendor Row

*Prize giveaway starts at 12:30 p.m.

*For more information on participating or contributing as a sponsor, call United Desert Gateway at 1-760-352-3681 or 1-760-344-3160.

Mini Cleanups Schedule

*Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

*North Dunes — Oldsmobile Hill: Nov. 10, Dec. 1, Feb. 23, March 29; Garbage Flats: April 12

*South Dunes — Dunebuggy Flats: Dec. 1, March 29