Friends of White River

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Friends of White River

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Friends of the White River work to preserve, protect and enhance the White River of Indiana.

10/13/2026

Join us for our last canoe cleanup of the year on Saturday, Oct 24th. Our volunteers have done some incredible work this year! These are images from last weekend’s cleanup near Ravenswood. Another dumpster of trash has been removed from the river, but we’re heading further south for the next cleanup. We’ll be cleaning the stretch between Belmont Beach and the Fall Creek confluence.

After this final cleanup, we’ll be appreciating our volunteers by having a bonfire and cooking up some Yats Cajun creole, along with providing beverages. You won’t want to miss this one! We only have 30 spots available, so make sure to register today to secure your spot!!

Thank you to our partners Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Franks Paddlesports Livery for supporting these cleanups!

10/08/2026

This Saturday is your chance to make a difference on the White River! We still have 24 volunteer spots open for our White River Canoe Cleanup in Ravenswood, and registration closes at 9am Saturday morning.

Last Saturday, 26 paddlers filled 13 canoes and hauled nearly a full dumpster of trash from the river. This Saturday’s stretch near Ravenswood has taken a beating from recent flooding, and we need more hands on the water to keep the momentum going.

Join us Saturday, October 10th from 12 to 4:30pm. We’ll launch from White River Yacht Club at 1400 E 74th St. All gear, snacks, and drinks are provided. Open to ages 13 and up. This event is free.

Register now at the link below before spots are gone.
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/whiterivercleanups/event/2026whiterivercanoecleanup10-10-26/

Thank you to our partners: Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., Frank's Paddlesports Livery, and White River Yacht Club.

10/04/2026

Yesterday: 26 paddlers, 13 canoes, one nearly full dumpster. 🛶

This Saturday, we’re going back — this time to Ravenswood, where the August flooding left its mark on the White River. We’ll launch and land from the White River Yacht Club, paddle the river, and clean from 12–4:30pm. All gear, snacks, and drinks provided. Free to attend.

📅 Oct. 10 | 12–4:30pm
📍 White River Yacht Club, 1400 E 74th St, Indianapolis

30 spots available — register at the link below:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/whiterivercleanups/event/2026whiterivercanoecleanup10-10-26/

Registration closes 9am Saturday.

Thank you to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., Frank's Paddlesports Livery and The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis for supporting yesterday’s cleanup! And thank you to the White River Yacht Club for welcoming us next weekend!

09/25/2026

The White River needs us, and this is one of the most beautiful times of year to be on it. 🍂🛶

Join us on Saturday, October 3rd for a White River Canoe Cleanup, launching right from Frank's Paddlesports Livery in Indianapolis. We'll paddle the river from 12–4:30pm, pulling trash, debris, and illegal dumping from the water, islands, and banks along the way. After this summer's historic flooding, there is no shortage of work to do, and no better way to give back to the river that connects our communities.

Comfortable paddlers are encouraged to register. All canoes, paddles, life jackets, and cleanup supplies are provided, plus snacks and drinks to keep you going on the water.

📅 Saturday, October 3rd
⏰ 12:00–4:30pm
📍 Frank's Paddlesports Livery, 3001 N White River Pkwy Dr W, Indianapolis

Free to attend. Register at the link here:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/whiterivercleanups/event/2026whiterivercanoecleanup10-3-26/

Thank you to our partners Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. and Frank's Paddlesports Livery for making this event possible!

09/20/2026

A small, but mighty and dedicated, group of volunteers showed up today for an impromptu river cleanup in Anderson today! This cleanup was not for the faint of heart. It was grueling work getting to flood debris high up in trees and along the banks, but this crew didn’t let that stop them. There’s plenty more work to be done along other sections of the river, so we’ll have more cleanups in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for announcements on cleanup dates.

Huge thanks to our partners, White River Watchers of Madison County and Canoe Country, on this cleanup!

09/18/2026

The White River just experienced its worst flood in over 113 years. Trash is in the trees. Debris is everywhere. The river needs help, and we're going back in!

This Sunday, September 20th, Friends of the White River is heading to Anderson for an impromptu post-flood canoe cleanup at Edgewater Park. We're looking for 10 experienced paddlers who are ready for a physically demanding afternoon on the water, pulling flood debris and trash from the trees and river banks of the White River.

This one isn't for the faint of heart, but if you're comfortable in a canoe and ready to show up for the river, we'd love to have you.

📅 Sunday, September 20th
⏰ 1:00–5:00 PM
📍 Edgewater Park, 801 E 10th St, Anderson, IN

Free. Ages 13+. Canoes, paddles, life jackets, and cleanup supplies provided.

In partnership with White River Watchers of Madison County and Canoe Country.

Only 10 spots available — register today at the link below:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/whiterivercleanups/event/2026andersoncanoecleanup9-20-26/

09/13/2026

We’re teaming up with Frank's Paddlesports Livery to host our Water Connection Academy next week! Children, ages 13-17, are invited to join us for 5 days of after-school programming on the river, where each day they’ll learn to paddle a new watercraft and hear from local river mentors.

There are still a few spots left, so register today while spots are still available!

You can learn more and register here:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/riverschoolregistration/event/2026waterconnectionacademy/

09/11/2026

Join our river community tonight from 5-8pm at White River State Park 🌿 as we celebrate the last leg of the White River Rising documentary journey from Muncie to Indianapolis!

Franks Paddlesports Livery and Nate Spangle joined together to document an 88-mile journey along the White River, and tonight they finish the final leg. A free finale celebration will be happening at White River State Park with Rickey Fontaine, food trucks, b**r provided by Guggman Haus Brewing Co., yard games, and some brief remarks from the paddling crew and partners.

The documentary will be released later this year, so stay tuned for the release date!

This journey was supported by: Citizens Energy Group Discover White River Visit Indy Visit Hamilton County, Indiana Destination: Muncie White River Canoe Company White River Canoe Company 🛶 Robbie MixellgRusted Moon OutfittersKGuggman Haus Brewing Co.sKincaid's Meat MarketCGoose the MarketrYats on CollegeMarket.

09/02/2026

After one of the most significant flood events in White River history, there has never been a more important time to understand how healthy stream banks protect our communities.

Join us on Saturday, September 19th for a free Stream Stewards Workshop at Marott Woods Nature Preserve, hosted by Friends of the White River in partnership with Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Marion County SWCD and the City of Indianapolis Dept of Public Works Indy Dept of Public Works.

From 9am to noon, you’ll learn:

🌿 How to identify and remove invasive plants like Asian Bush Honeysuckle
🌱 Native plant identification and installation techniques
🪨 Sediment and erosion control strategies
📖 How to become a more responsible riparian property owner

Every property owner along the White River and its tributaries plays a role in the health of our watershed. This workshop gives you the knowledge and tools to make a real difference — right where you live.

Free to attend.

📅 Saturday, September 19th
⏰ 9am–12pm
📍 Marott Woods Nature Preserve, Indianapolis

Register here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/streamstewardsregistration/event/ss-mwnpc/

08/28/2026

FOWR President, Lisa Milton, shares her story of the recent flooding and the impact it’s had on her Ravenswood community. The people of Ravenswood were not prepared for flooding of this magnitude, even though they were diligently watching the NOAA predictive index and local river gauges. Unfortunately, those predictions weren’t initially accurate, and the updated predictions came too late for the community to respond appropriately.

Lisa shares her experience through the flooding, the devastation she encountered, and her concerns moving forward. Like Lisa, many residents of Ravenswood are concerned about how they’ll rebuild.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Right now, volunteers are still needed in Ravenswood to help clean up and distribute aid. The cleanup will take weeks or months. Residents need help removing flooded items and debris out of their homes, as they prepare to rebuild, and many of those residents will need financial assistance to rebuild.

If you’re able to volunteer, the Ravenswood community is organizing volunteer & relief efforts at Glendale Christian Church and the adjacent Riverwood Park. Please consider joining them to help however you can. If you’re unable to join them, then please consider donating to the FOWR Rapid Flood Response Fund that will be used to directly assist with relief efforts for Ravenswood and other affected communities around Central Indiana. You can donate directly here:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/rapidfloodresponsefund/?utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv6_a1dennhawa8xmt

Address

P. O. Box 90171
Indianapolis, IN
46290

Website

http://www.friendsofwhiteriver.org/, https://friendsofwhiteriver.org/events/, https://friendsofwhiteriver.org/join/

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