Summer is in full swing and so are the organizers of the 9th annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup. ‘More Volunteers and Less Trash,’ is the moto for this year’s event. This summer’s cleanup effort is conducted by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC) and sponsored by the Florida Inland Navigation District.
“Since 2007, we have engaged more than 6700 volunteers, who together have removed more than 66 tons of trash from the waterways of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties,’ says event coordinator April Price. “Last year we saw our largest number of volunteers (1,165), who combined to remove 6.75 tons of trash.”
The Treasure Coast will proclaim July 17-23, 2016, 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) and its 1000 plus volunteers who work to keep our 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. These are good projects, and we enjoy sponsoring them up and down the waterway.”
This year’s volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, water craft participants will also receive a commemorative burgee. Volunteers will be recognized at a barbecue on a Sunday in August (the date to be announced). Register for the cleanup beforehand at www.TCWaterwayCleanup.com or show up at one of the designated sites on the day of the cleanup. The event will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“There are several coastal cleanups that take place throughout the Treasure Coast. They are vital to the health of our beaches and shoreline. However, this cleanup specifically concentrates on the waterways, spoil islands and area canals,” says Steve Haigis, Marina Manager of Loggerhead Marina and past president MIATC. “This is our chance to involve the entire Treasure Coast community in an industry that is vital to our economic well-being. We get to give back and educate folks on the importance of keeping our waterways clean.”
For sponsorship information, visit www.tcwaterwaycleanup.com or contact April Price at (772) 285-1646.
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