Yamaha Pro Angler Ish Monroe teamed up with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) and a group of volunteers on May 5 to clean up Guntersville Lake. Led by KTNRB Executive Director Kathleen Gibi, the group pulled over 1600 pounds of trash near Guntersville, Ala.

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Yamaha Pro Angler Ish Monroe teamed up with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) and a group of volunteers on May 5 to clean up Guntersville Lake. Led by KTNRB Executive Director Kathleen Gibi, the group pulled over 1600 pounds of trash near Guntersville, Ala. (Photo: Business Wire)

“We’re all responsible for keeping these bodies of water clean, and it’s amazing to see what we can accomplish when we all work together,” said Monroe. “Guntersville is an important lake for bass fishing, but it also provides a beautiful place for everyone to just enjoy the outdoors. As a board member of KTNRB, I’m proud to be a part of an organization that encourages and teaches the next generation about the importance of environmental stewardship.”

The volunteers, ranging in age from 5 to 50, rode in KTNRB’s two 26-foot aluminum work boats, which Yamaha Rightwaters and Anderson Marine helped re-power V MAX SHO^® 90-horsepower outboards.

In 2019, Yamaha Rightwaters donated $5,000 to Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful during Bassmaster Classic^® in Knoxville, Tenn. At the time, KTNRB volunteers removed roughly 60,000 lbs. of trash from the Tennessee River without the use of a boat.

Four years later, KTNRB now uses two boats powered by Yamaha outboards motors donated through Yamaha Rightwaters. Over the years, KTNRB volunteers have removed more 722,000 pounds of trash from the Tennessee River watershed, setting a record last year by removing more than 218,000 pounds of trash in 2023 alone.

“The Tennessee River watershed is said to be the most biodiverse river system in North America and Guntersville Lake gives instant insight to that as soon as you’re on the water,” said Kathleen Gibi, KTNRB Executive Director. “This group of volunteers worked through afternoon heat with smiles on their faces and the energy they brought made a big impact for the area. We cleaned along the shores of an island where we saw nests both ospreys and geese. The volunteers that work with us truly make a difference for inhabitants around the waterways – both human and animal alike. We’re grateful for support from Ish and Yamaha Rightwaters as we continue in our mission to educate and inspire people to take action to create a clean, healthy, beautiful Tennessee River for generations to come.”

Yamaha Rightwaters also sponsors KTNRB’s Ripple Effect Awards.

For more information about Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful or to volunteer, please visit keeptnriverbeautiful.org.

Yamaha Rightwaters™ is a national sustainability program that encompasses all of Yamaha Marine’s conservation and water quality efforts. Program initiatives include habitat restoration, support for scientific research, mitigation of invasive species, the reduction of marine debris and environmental stewardship education. Yamaha Rightwaters reinforces Yamaha’s long-standing history of natural resource conservation, support of sustainable recreational fishing and water resources and Angler Code of Ethics, which requires pro anglers to adhere to principles of stewardship for all marine resources.

Yamaha’s U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of Yamaha Marine products in the U.S. including Yamaha Outboards, Yamaha WaveRunners^®, Yamaha Boats, G3^® Boats and Skeeter^® Boats. Supporting 2,400 dealers and boat builders nationwide, Yamaha is the industry leader in reliability, performance, technology and customer service.

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.

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