(May 18, 2008) -- Volunteers turned out at locations all along the L.A. River on Saturday May 17 for "La Gran Limpieza," the annual Great Clean Up organized by Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR).

Among the participants this year was LB Mayor Bob Foster...who (said FoLAR co-founder Lewis McAdams) became the first Mayor of any of the cities along the Los Angeles River to take part personally in the event.

Mayor Foster joined volunteers at the Willow Street Estuary in navigating down the steep river channel using a rope.

Arriving promptly at 9 a.m., the Mayor was dressed in slacks and a white shirt for a scheduled 10 a.m. downtown appearance...but rolled up his sleaves, put on gloves...

...and joined in the clean-up...picking up all sorts of, well, mystery crud. "What is this stuff?" Mayor Foster asked with no scientific answer readily available.

So what brings you out here, Mayor? "I basically came out here to thank people," Mayor Foster told LBReport.com. "They're doing this backbreaking work, and it makes a difference."

These trash bags and other refuse account for only a few minutes work. This volunteer (who returned for more clean-up) offered a "thumbs up."

Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal attended at the Golden Shore location (as she as been in previous years) and also came by the Willow St. site (observing the latter from above).

A contingent of Jordan High Students joined LB volunteers in the community effort.

Present at the sign-in table: longtime Wrigley neighborhood advocate (and former FoLAR boardmember) Joan Greenwood.

And likewise present in LB: FoLAR co-founder Lewis McAdams, the L.A. based poet/journalist/catalyst whose advocacy over more than two decades changed views of the L.A. River from an entombed concrete flood control channel to an emerging recreational asset and re-created ecosystem.

And how did Mayor Foster (and the rest of us) get back up the steep channel wall? Like this: