Page 22 - March April 2026 Vol 43 No 7

KEEP THE TENNESSEE RIVER BEAUTIFUL By Kathleen Gibi
KTnRB Adds 72-River-Mile Adoptions

After 72 adoptions in 2025, there are Now in 2026, Publix Super Markets our river cleanup efforts,” said Gibi.
now 309 river miles adopted within is continuing its title sponsorship of “With the support from a well-respected
the Tennessee River watershed in AARM offered within the seven-state brand like Publix, we’ve truly seen a
Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful Tennessee River watershed by KTnRB. new level of momentum build in the
(KTnRB) Adopt a River Mile Program NEW “AARM WRESTLING” CHALLENGE program.”
(AARM) presented by Publix. (To This year, the program is launching a Every participant in KTnRB’s free
give perspective, the main stem of the friendly AARM Wrestling Challenge to AARM program receives a package
Tennessee River is 652 miles in length.) promote further river mile adoptions, that includes river cleanup supplies,
Participants in AARM commit to with the goal of full adoptions of each of volunteer t-shirts, and stainless-steel
hosting two yearly cleanups within their the nine lakes in the Tennessee River’s water bottles (an example of a solution to
river mile. That cleanup can be as little main stem. the cups, bottles and cans found on river
as one person cleaning, up to a fully Monthly throughout the year, the shorelines). They also receive a sign with
organized cleanup put on by the adoptee. nine lakes of the Tennessee River’s the individual/group name declaring
The program was launched by KtnRB main stem will be ranked as the the river mile under their care. New
in 2018, and participants have been percentage of adopted miles vs. miles adoptees in 2025 also received Publix
reporting their poundage collected since remaining to be adopted are calculated swag in their AARM package.
2021. each month. Kathleen Gibi, KTnRB “Publix is proud to continue our title
In 2025, river mile adoptees reported Executive Director, said that the Publix sponsorship of the AARM program
removing 61,535 lbs. of trash. To date sponsorship truly helped catalyze the for a second year,” said Paul Osley,
from 2021, the program has seen a nonprofit’s AARM program, one of the Publix Director of Environmental and
total of 337,241 lbs. of trash collected most mission-critical programs it offers. Sustainability Programs. “Supporting
by adoptees. (That isn’t even counting “With a mission ‘to educate and this program helps Keep the Tennessee
the 1,034,466 lbs. of trash removed at inspire others to take action for the River Beautiful continue the positive
KtnRB-organized volunteer cleanups Tennessee River,” we consider our momentum from 2025. Being good
with their two 26-foot boats.) stewards of the environment is part of
AARM program the endgame goal for

22 TPW March/April 2026