Although Clean Your Streams is an exciting and gratifying event in itself, our most engaged cleanup teams have the opportunity to win different Challenge Competition Awards, including the newest Challenge, Change for Change. The friendly competitions between Youth, Corporate, Collegiate, and Organizational groups are a fun way to motivate all volunteers in making the largest positive impact possible on our waterways. During the cleanup, volunteer groups keep track of how many bags they fill and number of participants which are then submitted at the end of the event to determine the Challenge winners. Youth and Collegiate groups both have the chance of winning three different awards, including Battle of the Bags, Awesome Effort, and Most Volunteers. In addition, Corporate and Organizational groups will compete for the Most Volunteers Challenge Award. Battle of the Bags winners are dependent upon the total number of bags your group collects throughout the cleanup, whereas Awesome Effort winners are determined by the most bags per person for each group.

Change for Change, the newest Challenge category, is a great opportunity for volunteers of all ages and group sizes to benefit our local rivers and streams by donating loose change to Partners for Clean Streams. To participate, start collecting loose change now and bring it with you to the Appreciation Picnic after the cleanup for an official weigh-in. The group with the heaviest combined amount of change will win the Change for Change Challenge and receive a Mystery Award. So dump out your piggy bank, pick up that penny on the street corner, and empty those car cup holders! Set up a change jar in the office or pass it around at the next meeting! All donations benefit local waterways by supporting public education, volunteer activities, and restoration programs. To get started, click here to print a flyer for your own Change for Change jar!