The Madras Gambler 500 wrapped up another massive cleanup effort last week, hauling an estimated 250,000 pounds of trash from approximately 80,000 acres of public grasslands in and around Jefferson County.
The haul included 14 abandoned vehicles, eight RVs, four boats, and "over a thousand tires," according to Tate Morgan, the Gambler 500's founder. Thousands of volunteers participated in the multi-day effort, which Morgan started in 2017 after seeing the state of Crooked River Ranch grasslands.
A Volunteer-Powered Effort
"If we're not picking it up, we're gonna have to pay the government to do it," Morgan said. "And we all know how expensive that's gonna get."
Morgan estimates the volunteer labor is saving taxpayers thousands of dollars annually. Crucially, the people involved are not only doing the manual work — they're also personally paying for the disposal of the waste they collect.
"The majority of people that come out and do this are doing it simply because they want to see public lands cleaned up," Morgan said. Many volunteers travel from outside the county specifically for the event, and Morgan said he encourages them to patronize local restaurants, hotels, and businesses during their visit.
Madras Has 'A Lot of Character'
"We really like to send all of our people out into the community, out to the local restaurants, even stay at the local hotels and patronize the local businesses and also events," Morgan said. "Madras has a lot of character. It's one of the kindest communities that I've ever experienced."
The event isn't all hard work. The Gambler 500 features a music festival with various bands and on-site mini bike and go-kart racing for those looking for some fun alongside the cleanup.
A Cycle That Keeps Repeating
Morgan acknowledged that despite the scale of this year's effort, the grasslands tend to fill back up with trash by the following year. "We clean up all that trash. But it just fills right back in the next year," he said.
Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of Gambler 500 cleanup work in the Madras area. Morgan is encouraging a shift in mindset — asking visitors to the grasslands to pick up trash as they go, rather than waiting for a single annual cleanup. "We want to feel comfortable bringing our family, friends and loved ones out there and camping in the grasslands," he said.