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In June 1998, Bill Stokes decided to take up kayaking as a way to get into the outdoors. Little did he know when he bought a kayak and headed for the river that this decision would lead to an obsession and the title of "The Ball Guy." An electrical engineer in Lancaster, Bill has become very familiar with the free-flowing stretch of the Catawba River between Rock Hill and Fishing Creek Lake. Soon after he became a regular fixture on the river, Bill noted that, while he was seeing all kinds of trash floating down the Catawba, the most interesting type of litter was balls of all descriptions. Basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, tennis balls, even bowling balls. Bill began to collect the balls and clean and inflate those in good condition. He then began giving them to schools, scout troops, and any kid needing a ball.
"It's a win, win, win situation. I recycle trash out of the river, I get a little exercise, and a kid gets his or her own ball. What could be better than that?"
On the river almost every weekend, Stokes continues to collect balls on nearly every trip. How do they get in the river? No one knows for sure, but most theorize that the balls are floating out of yards and off playgrounds in suburban Charlotte and reaching the river. This was confirmed last year when Bill was paddling near Great Falls and found a basketball with a name and address on it. After some detective work, Bill found the owner, who reported that the ball had been lost five years earlier when it had been left in a yard near Sugar Creek in southern Mecklenburg County. The ball had traveled about forty miles south before making the return trip to its owner, who had received it as a Christmas present 28 years earlier.
Bill continues to collect balls and other trash in the Catawba River. As an engineer, he keeps meticulous record of his discoveries. As a naturalist, he marvels at the birds, animals, and beautiful surroundings that he encounters along the Catawba. "What I hope is that in some way I can help preserve the river so my kinds and grandkids can paddle it... I know we can't preserve all of it, but I think we owe it to ourselves and future generations to at least preserve parts that retain the wildness."
To date, Bill has found and removed nearly 10,000 balls from the river, along with countless bags of trash. Bill says, "I'd like to think that more people would also remove trash from the river if they just got out there and saw how beautiful it is."
On September 22, 2001, the Charlotte Observer named Bill Stokes one of its "Guardians of the Environment" for the year. The Observer stated, "We honor these Carolinians who are working, in ways large and small, to preserve our precious natural heritage. We hope their vision and commitment will inspire others to look at the world around us with a focus that extends beyond immediate pleasure and profit - indeed, beyond our own brief life times."
THE BALL GUY'S NUMBERS: 9,800 BALLS FOUND, 1,685 BALLS DONATED
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