Arroyo Volunteer of the Month
Roman Krajewski
Did you enjoy FoLAR's La Gran Limpieza?
Yeah, it was really cool! I loved the surf band, Chum, playing a great set during the cleanup. It was amazing how much debris was pulled from that small section in the river. Some of the debris was potentially traceable, such as the golf clubs, and that knowledge could lead to prevention in the future. Maybe a catch fence to keep angry golfers from throwing their clubs in the river!
How far did you have to ride your bike to get to the confluence? What route did you take?
I live in Montrose, so it's only about a 10 miles one way, and it's all downhill, so getting there was the easy part. The ride back was all uphill. That being said, the round trip was only 20 miles. ASF La Gran Limpieza docent Katie Radavich and I once did a century together in Ojai in which we rode 105 miles in about 7 hours.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a freelance photographer and set lighting technician. Gaffer/Grip/Best Boy/Electrician and the like.
Do you volunteer with other organizations?
Not consistently. I've done a day or two here and there, but nothing long term.
Did this event in any way change you opinion of the Arroyo Seco or Los Angeles River?
Stepping into the river bed, I was surprised by how beautiful it was and how nice it was to feel an isolation from the city standing in a concrete channel with all the bridges overhead. The views really were spectacular.
Will you volunteer again with ASF or FoLAR?
Sure! I grew up in Eagle Rock, so Arroyo Seco adjacent, and as a child my mother would take me and my sisters to the Arroyo all the time to walk the trails, to catch frogs at the casting pond, and even to recycle at the recycling center. As a cyclist, I'm a huge fan of the Arroyo Seco Bike Path and I hope to see it continued as inspired by the original elevated wooden Arroyo Seco Bike Path which ran from Pasadena to Los Angeles.
