TRAVERSE CITY -- This Friday, volunteers will hit the streets of Traverse City armed with brooms and dustpans as they attempt to sweep away the litter.

The event, is focused on cigarette butt litter and will be trying to drastically reduce the amount of that litter going into the rivers and lakes.

Featured at the event will be a "butt picking contest", where teams of volunteers will compete to pick up cigarette butts. Bay Area Recycling for Charities - the sponsor of the event - will donate $500 to an environmentally based nonprofit group on behalf of the winning team.

BARC is also teaming up with the Traverse Bay Area Tobacco Coalition and the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve for a deep river clean up. Certified scuba divers should contact Cory at the GTBUP for information on the event.

The event takes place this Saturday, June 1st. For more information you can visit the Bay Area Recycling for Charities website by clicking here.