Community Corner

Volunteers Needed for Beach Sweeps Oct. 19

Clean Ocean Action's 28th Annual Fall Beach Sweeps from Middlesex to Cape May counties

Volunteers are needed all over the Jersey Shore to help clean up the beaches as part of Clean Ocean Action's 28th Annual Fall Beach Sweeps on Oct. 19.

Volunteers are requested to pre-register by using the online sign-up form on this page of the Clean Ocean Action website. (Scroll down to see the online registration form under the list of locations.)

Volunteers should wear gloves, dress for the weather, apply sunscreen, and wear closed-toed, hard-soled shoes. Volunteers can find a site near them from Cape May County to Middlesex County.

Find out what's happening in Wallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Clean Ocean Action is excited to continue to integrate Beach Sweeps into the Waves of Action program, a year-long initiative to recover and restore the NY/NJ coastline after the devastation of Sandy,” said Catie Tobin, Clean Ocean Action Ocean Advocacy and Education Fellow, in a prepared statement.

Find out what's happening in Wallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Beach Sweeps is much more than picking up trash, it’s about collecting data to help reduce sources of pollution," the statement says. "Volunteers are instructed to record the quantity and types of debris found."

The information collected at the Sweeps is analyzed and published into annual reports. 

"These reports help identify pollution problems, aid legislators in enacting laws to protect our marine environment, and inform local, state and international efforts to combat marine pollution."

Clean Ocean Action (COA) will release the 2013 Annual Beach Sweep report mid-April, just in time for the spring Beach Sweeps. All reports are available online at www.CleanOceanAction.org.

COA encourages participation from volunteers of all ages individually or from businesses, families, and organizations

A number of businesses partner with COA to sponsor the Beach Sweeps.  The Statewide Sponsors for the 2013 Beach Sweeps are Aveda and Bank of America.

“Through Beach Sweeps, our teams of volunteers have assisted in cleaning-up trash and debris on New Jersey beaches, lakes, rivers and streams,” said Bob Doherty, New Jersey president, Bank of America. “Clean Ocean Action offers people a chance to improve their environment and be part of a global effort to drive positive change.”

County Sponsors include Atlantic City Electric, BD, Brook 35 & West, Comcast Cares, Montecalvo Material Recovery Facility, The Grove, TD Bank, Shoprite Wakefern and United Teletech Financial. Site Sponsors include Adventure Aquarium - Ocean City 59th Street Pavilion, Baine Contracting - Brick Beach I, Brookdale Community College - Middletown Bayshore Waterfront Park, Enterprise Rent A Car - Sandy Hook, Kohl’s - Sandy Hook, New Jersey Natural Gas - Belmar 1st Avenue, Paul V. Fernicola & Associates - Loch Arbour/Allenhurst, Surfrider Foundation/Jersey Shore Chapter - Asbury Park North Beach, Surfrider Foundation/South Jersey Chapter - In Memory of Tommy Kraemer - Avalon.

FUNdraise

Support Beach Sweeps: raise $100 and receive a special gift.

Start your fundraiser at http://www.crowdrise.com/BeachSweeps.

Clean Ocean Action is a coalition of over 130 boating, business, community, conservation, diving, environmental, fishing, religious, service, student, surfing and women’s groups. Based in Sandy Hook, COA is the only full time regional coalition that works exclusively for a clean ocean off the coasts of New Jersey and New York.

 

 


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