As summer comes into full swing, so do the organizers of the 10th annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup, which will be held on Saturday, July 29th. The summer cleanup effort is conducted by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC) and sponsored by the Florida Inland Navigation District.
“Since 2008, we have engaged more than 7500 volunteers, who together have removed more than 67 tons of trash from the waterways of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties,” says event coordinator April Price.
The Treasure Coast will proclaim July 23-29, 2017, as Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup Week. The counties of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River, along with the municipalities of Stuart, Port Saint Lucie, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach and Sebastian will all recognize the efforts of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC), the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND), along with businesses, community organizations and its 1000 plus volunteers who work to keep local waterways clean.
“The waterways in the District can accumulate trash and debris from many sources. FIND sponsors voluntary waterway clean ups in each of the 12 counties in the District with Keep Florida Beautiful affiliates as well as Marine Industry Associations,” says Janet Zimmerman, Assistant Executive Director for FIND. “We believe these cleanup efforts are important not just for the health of the waterway because of the removal of the debris, but also because they help to bring together the users of the waterway in a spirit of community and in a way, that fosters environmental awareness.”
Cleanup volunteers will receive a commemorative 10th anniversary event t-shirt, water craft participants will also receive a commemorative burgee. Volunteers will be recognized at a “Thank You BBQ” on a Sunday in August (date to be announced).
To sponsor or sign up a cleanup team at one of the 25 Treasure Coast sites, visit www.tcwaterwaycleanup.com or contact April Price at (772) 285-1646.
The Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Inc. (MIATC) is a not-for-profit trade association representing recreational marine businesses in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River and Okeechobee counties. MIATC is dedicated to the promotion of pleasure boating and its related industries.
