FMBCF reports successful “Earth Day Trash Bash”

Apr 21, 2011 2 min read

1 / 2

BOB PETCHER Trash Bash volunteers gathered for a photo at Beach Elementary School. An old horseshoe was one of the items picked up during the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation coordinated event.

2 / 2

CHERYL HOHMANN Adam Norris, a student at Lexington Middle School, prepares to unload his grandmother’s van. He and his brothers and grandmother were recognized for bringing in the most trash.

A beautiful day on Fort Myers Beach brought out a dedicated group of volunteers to help clean up their community this past Saturday (April 16) at the 22nd Annual Keep Lee County Beautiful “Earth Day Trash Bash”.

The event is a countywide effort to make a difference by cleaning up the neighborhoods. On the Beach this program has been coordinated by the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation (formerly Pilot Club) since its beginning. Volunteers started showing up at the check-in site at the Beach Elementary School at 9 a.m. Two-mile sections of beach and roadway were assigned, volunteers were provided with a commemorative t-shirt, garbage bags, gloves and litter pick up tools if needed.

Although the number of participants was down this year, those that did help were focused on finding areas that really needed cleaning. Jan Fuchs and her grandsons Adam and Kyle Norris, students at Lexington Middle School, and William Toth, a kindergartner at the Beach Elementary School did an outstanding job, winning a gift certificate from Yucatan Beach Stand Bar and Grill for collecting the most debris. That group brought their van back twice, loaded with litter including a rusted out generator, car battery, cardboard, many book, and numerous bags of “junk.” They found a spot that was in dire need of cleanup!

Other unusual items found included an old horseshoe, a variety of clothing, gas cap, a “Spam” can, bottles, cans, and much more. Several volunteers heard many “thank yous” from people visiting the beach, for the work they were doing. Pizza and soft drinks were available to the volunteers as they returned to the school. Beach Elementary Students who participated were rewarded with an ice cream party on Monday.

The local cleanup is part of the nationwide Great American Cleanup effort sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. 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.