If you’ve ever driven down East Street, just past Masconomet High School and heading toward Middleton, then you’ve driven over Thunder Bridge. Perhaps you’ve caught the bright flash of a kayak passing through the trees, seen a fisherman standing on the sand, or watched local kids clamoring for their turn to jump off the landing’s nominal bridge. If you’ve ever noticed a gentleman or two holding what looks like a tape measure over the bridge’s side, staring into little bottles, or tossing orange peels, then you’ve witnessed RiverWatch monitors Pike Messenger and Fran Masse hard at work. Last year, we highlighted volunteers Pike and Fran in a blog, sampled below.
“Crossing over to the upriver side of the bridge, I called my greetings to the two familiar faces: Frank Masse and Pike Messenger. Life-time Middleton residents, they have both been showing their local pride for years, only one example of which is the amazing organization they are both key members of, the Middleton Stream Team. As has been said many times (but can’t be said enough) Stream Teams are fantastic. Not only at supporting the river, but in joining people in communities together and connecting them to areas of natural beauty in their towns. Fran and Pike’s dedication to the watershed doesn’t end with the Stream Team: they are both volunteers in our RiverWatch Program. Thunder Bridge is their testing site.”
Thunder Bridge is still under their watch and whether you’re a paddler, fisherman or daredevil kid, you can thank Pike and Frank for ensuring Thunder Bridge stands over clean water. Want to support our RiverWatch monitors and keep their program going? Register for Paddle-a-thon 2018 or support a paddler.
The Paddle-a-thon is an opportunity for our community to celebrate the Ipswich River and help ensure it is here for future generations. The Ipswich River provides drinking water for 350,000 people and businesses, yet it was named one of the most endangered rivers in the nation in 2003 and is still in danger today. Last year, paddlers in the annual Paddleathon helped to raise over $35,000 for our Clean Water Program, which helps monitor and protect the health of the Ipswich River.
Join us in this year’s event – June 16th – to raise funds and awareness for the river and for our Clean Water Program.