Alabama Power will sponsor its 15th annual Renew Our Rivers event this weekend.

Since the first Renew Our Rivers in 2000, more than 56,000 volunteers, including Alabama Power employees, civic groups, schools and homeowners and boat owners associations, have participated in Renew Our Rivers on the Coosa, Tallapoosa, Black Warrior, Cahaba, Tombigbee and Mobile rivers in Alabama and the Upper Coosa River in Georgia. Volunteers have removed 13.5 million pounds of trash, Styrofoam and other litter from those rivers.

In 2013 along, 380,000 pounds of trash was collected in Alabama cleanups.

“This event is very important to all communities in the state,” said Diane Brooker, business office manager for Alabama Power in Demopolis. “It helps the environment, and it also gives students an opportunity to learn the value of community service.”

In Demopolis, volunteers can come to the city landing on Oct. 10-11 beginning at 8 a.m. each day for the cleanup effort. Foster Farms will provide corn dogs and Vowell’s is donating cookies for lunch on Friday. On Saturday, pizza will be provided for volunteers.

Brooker said students can also receive community service hours for their diploma requirement by volunteering for Renew Our Rivers this weekend.

Demopolis’ Renew Our City will also participate in the weekend, and the Demopolis Beautification Commission asks citizens to clean up their homes, businesses, churches and schools. The city of Demopolis will also pick up large items around town. To schedule a pickup from Oct. 8-10, call Kim Rodrigues at city hall at (334) 289-3879.