Melaleuca Team Members Help Restore the Idaho Falls River Walk

How did Melaleuca Team Members help restore the Idaho Falls River Walk?

Approximately 200 Melaleuca Team Members restored more than two miles of the Idaho Falls River Walk (also known as the Greenbelt). Melaleuca has donated more than $70,000 toward River Walk improvements through the Melaleuca Foundation and Team Member participation.

For thousands of people in eastern Idaho, the Idaho Falls River Walk is more than a trail beside the Snake River. It is where families walk together, friends meet, runners train, visitors take in the view and community members spend time outdoors in one of the city’s most beloved public spaces.

On a sunny Thursday in August, approximately 200 Melaleuca Team Members joined the City of Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Department for the company’s fourth annual cleanup of the Idaho Falls River Walk, also known as the Idaho Falls Greenbelt. Together, they cleared an estimated 200 cubic yards of debris along more than two miles of the Snake River.

The project was one more way Melaleuca puts the company’s mission of enhancing lives into action.

Idaho Falls River Walk Cleanup at a Glance

• Fourth consecutive annual River Walk cleanup
• Approximately 200 Melaleuca Team Members volunteered
• More than two miles of the River Walk served
• An estimated 200 cubic yards of debris removed
• More than $70,000 donated toward River Walk improvements through the Melaleuca Foundation and Team Member participation

A Day of Service Along the Idaho Falls River Walk

Working in seven teams across more than two miles of the Snake River Greenbelt in Idaho Falls, Team Members rolled up their sleeves to remove willow branches, dead wood and other debris that had collected along the river.

By the end of the afternoon, volunteers had filled four dumpsters and about 12 trailer and dump-truck loads. They removed an estimated 200 cubic yards of brush and other material from the area.

The work opened views of the Snake River, improved access along the pathways and helped preserve the beauty of a space that brings people together throughout the year.

It was a win-win for everyone. The volunteers spent time on a workday giving back, and Idaho Falls got a boost to one of its most popular public spaces.

Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Director P.J. Holm said the contribution of so many volunteers made an extraordinary difference.

“Having approximately 200 people come together and tackle projects across more than two miles of the River Walk is incredible,” Holm said. “The amount of work your team can accomplish in just a couple of hours would take our staff a significant amount of time and resources to complete on our own.”

Holm estimated that Melaleuca Team Members completed the equivalent of nearly 20 days of work in one afternoon.

A Partnership That Helps the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Thrive

The Idaho Falls Greenbelt and River Walk follow the Snake River through the heart of the community, offering residents and visitors a place to walk, run, bike and enjoy the outdoors.

Like any treasured community space, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Trail needs ongoing care. Through this annual partnership, Melaleuca Team Members help the city take on projects that are difficult to complete amid the daily responsibilities of maintaining parks, trails and other public spaces.

Their work helps keep the Snake River Greenbelt in Idaho Falls clean, accessible and inviting for the many people who gather there each year.

Holm expressed gratitude not only for the work accomplished but also for Melaleuca’s commitment to returning year after year.

“We truly appreciate the partnership,” he said. “Beyond the work itself, I really appreciate that Melaleuca continues to invest its time and people into making Idaho Falls a better place.”

The cleanup is part of a longer commitment to the Idaho Falls River Walk. Through the Melaleuca Foundation and Team Member participation in the Idaho Falls Rotary Club’s Great Snake River Duck Race, more than $70,000 has also been donated to support River Walk cleanup, enhancement and expansion.

Serving Communities Beyond Idaho Falls

The spirit of service reached beyond the Idaho Falls Riverwalk this year.

Earlier in the week, 33 Team Members from Melaleuca’s Rexburg call center and manufacturing facility gathered at Eagle Park to help care for another local outdoor space. In two hours, the volunteers collected 27 large bags of trash and removed 100 pounds of scrap metal.

The tradition of service is growing, too. Participation in the Rexburg project grew by more than 50 percent from last year’s numbers.

A City of Rexburg employee thanked the group for their thorough work, positive attitudes and willingness to help maintain a park that is important to everyone in the area.

Whether clearing debris along the Snake River or collecting litter at Eagle Park, Team Members shared the same goal: leaving their community a little better than they found it.

A Tradition of Enhancing Lives

For Melaleuca, these projects are about much more than clearing brush or filling bags of trash. They are an opportunity for Team Members to give their time, work together outside their everyday responsibilities and make a difference in the communities where they live.

Chief Human Resources Officer Jamie Reynolds thanked Team Members for embracing that opportunity. She described the day as one filled with hard work, laughter and teamwork, and recognized the impact volunteers made for both local Parks and Recreation teams and the tens of thousands of people who enjoy the River Walk each year.

The annual Idaho Falls Greenbelt cleanup has become a meaningful tradition—one that strengthens a valued partnership, helps protect a cherished public space and reminds everyone involved that enhancing lives can begin close to home.

Their work helps ensure that families, friends and visitors can keep gathering along the Snake River to enjoy one of Idaho Falls’ most treasured places.