Beach to get clean during Trash Bash campaign
It’s a beautification fight you don’t want to miss!
Beach residents, children and Lee County citizens will again be on a mission to rid Estero Island of marine debris and beach litter at the 22nd annual Earth Day Trash Bash this Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Members of the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation in cooperation with Keep Lee County Beautiful will host and coordinate the event at Beach Elementary School, the island check-in site.
The countywide litter cleanup campaign is a day when all Lee County residents and visitors are invited to make a difference in their environment by cleaning up their own neighborhoods and communities. Volunteer groups of all kinds are welcome to participate.
The local cleanup is part of the nationwide Great American Cleanup effort sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. KLCB has established check-in and collection sites throughout Lee County. Donating sponsors of the event include Coca-Cola; Waste Pro; Veolia Environmental Services, Inc.; Covanta Energy; Choice Environmental; Dex; Lee County Parks & Recreation; International; and Marine Forest Research, Inc.
Last year’s Trash Bash volunteers removed 64,377 pounds of trash and debris from Lee County’s roadsides, shorelines and parks. If you or your group would like to register to participate in the cleanup, please send an email to klcb32@cs.com with your contact information or call KLCB at 334-3488.
On the Beach, interested volunteers should start reporting at 9 a.m. to pick up their gloves, plastic garbage bags and assignment areas. A gift certificate will once again be given to the person or group that brings in the most unusual items.
The spring Earth Day Trash Bash and Fall Coastal Cleanup have been annual projects of the former Beach Pilots since it’s inception in 1985. Member Alicia Steinhagen will serve as the check-in point guide at the Beach school.
“”My personal feeling is that our beaches and waterways are extremely
fragile, and I think visitors and even our residents tend to forget that
fact,” she said. “Great American Cleanup is a terrific way to educate and put focus back on our beach environment. When people come out on Saturday,
especially children and young people, they see firsthand the beauty of
this area, and they make a connection to keep it that way!”
The non-profit Beach organization will reward the participating Beach Elementary students with their traditional ice cream party at the school on Monday, April 18.