Save The Bay Welcomes Volunteers For September 19 International Coastal Cleanup

ALL OVER RHODE ISLAND – Save The Bay is recruiting volunteers for Rhode Island’s International Coastal Cleanup to be held on Saturday, September 19. More than 2,100 volunteers needed to help pick up trash and debris at more than 80 beach cleanups along some 60 miles of Rhode Island shoreline. Individual volunteers, families, and large groups are all welcome. Additional cleanup dates, before and after September 19, are also seeking volunteers. To find out more about the International Coastal Cleanup and to register as a volunteer, visit savebay.org/icc. Download a PDF of the most current list of cleanup sites at: http://www.savebay.org/document.doc?id=635.

The International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Washington, D.C.-based Ocean Conservancy, is the largest global volunteer effort on behalf of the ocean. Ocean Conservancy compiles data from global cleanups around the world and publishes an annual report on marine debris. Save The Bay^® – Narragansett Bay is proud to serve as the coordinator for the International Cleanup in Rhode Island. Last year, more than 2,100 volunteers statewide joined some 650,000 volunteers worldwide to collect and remove 16,368 pounds of trash from 59 miles of Rhode Island beaches and shoreline from Block Island to Providence and even inland along the shores of the Pawtuxet and Woonasquatucket rivers.

“It really takes the talents and support of our dedicated beach captains, individuals, other non-profit organizations and private companies to make the International Coastal Cleanup successful,” said July Lewis, Save The Bay volunteer manager. “And this is a great opportunity for individual, families and businesses to make a real difference and a strong statement: it’s not okay to trash our bay,” Lewis said.

The cleanup also features support from local business and corporations offering financial support and volunteer teams who participate in cleanups. Current sponsors and supporters include:  Bank of America, Clean Ocean Access, Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, REI, and ZipCar. Many sponsors adopt an area near their business community and use the cleanup as a staff team building activity while supporting a great cause at the same time. For more information about sponsorship, contact Leanne Danielsen at ldanielsen@savebay.org.

To date, cleanup locations still accepting community volunteers include:

Barrington:                  Barrington Town Beach (Sept 26)

Block Island:                Fred Benson Town Beach

Bristol:                           Jacob’s Point (Sept 27)

Charlestown:               Charlestown Breachway

Cranston:                      Stillhouse Cove

Pawtuxet River Walkway (Oct 18)

East Providence:         Bold Point

Sabin Point

Jamestown:                   Ft. Wetherill

Little Compton:            South Shore Beach

Middletown:                 Sachuest Point

Second Beach

Third Beach

Narragansett:               Aunt Carrie’s Beach

Ferry Beach

Narragansett Town Beach

Salty Brine Beach

Newport:                       Easton’s Beach

Fort Adams

King Park

Kings Beach

North Kingstown:       Compass Rose Beach

Portsmouth:                 Common Fence Point

Weaver Cove

Providence:                   Field’s Point Beach

Oxford Street at Allens Avenue

South Kingstown:        Deep Hole (September 12)

Warwick:                       Conimicut Point

Oakland Beach

Warwick City Park

Apponaug Cove (Sept 26)

Longmeadow Fishing Area (Sept 26)

Westerly:                       Weekapaug Breachway

Westerly Shoreline