Cleaning Up Percy Priest Lake - Sarah Bishop

For volunteers, it seemed it was a 'buffet of trash' this weekend at Percy Priest Lake. Over 300 volunteers came out Saturday to collect tons of garbage that careless campers have left behind on the islands and in the lake.

It's peaceful scenery like this that most of us come to enjoy at Percy Priest Lake.

But Saturday hundreds of volunteers like Rex and Cathy Mullendore got a first hand look at how careless campers have made the islands their personal dump.

"The archaeological find this is, how long this trash has been out here, this has got to be an old milk jug," Rex Mullendore said.

"I think it's really sad that there's so much trash people come out to enjoy these islands and then they have to come to this," Cathy Mullendore said.

This is the second island the two have cleaned, and they've found a little of everything.

"Oh geez, how about a twin mattress, to springs to a trailer... a lot of styrofoam we had probably 12 bags out of a small island, chairs so just everything," Rex Mullendore said.

Saturday was the largest water cleanup project in Nashville's history.

"This is a great way to spend a Saturday," William Paddock said.

He and his friends made a day of it.

"We're big outdoors people me and 3 buddies came out today to help out, we enjoy the outdoors a lot and thought it was our obligation to come out and do a little bit," Paddock said.

They found anything from tires to a Christmas tree.

While Chris Hancock says he's glad to be helping, it's also upsetting, "it's very demeaning to the property."

"All and all we already have about 16 tons so we probably might double that," Laurel Creech, Team Green director said.

But some of the volunteers who helped pick up after others to ensure Percy Priest stays beautiful, have a message.

"It's so easy to do-put it in the trash bag, take it back with you and leave the place beautiful," Rex Mullendore said.

The volunteers found glass, cans and plenty of styrofoam which can take a million years to decompose. Grills, tent and odder items like mannequins and even a traffic light were collected. Organizers say next year, they also hope to get scuba divers involved in the clean up effort.