Help us, the community, TREASURE OUR BEACHES!
It's almost time to roll up our sleeves and dig into the ugliest beach cleanup of the year. Tons and tons of spent plastics from the glorious fireworks on the 4th will be waiting for us out there, not to mention the aftermath from beach-goers who leave their party trash on the beach (why do we allow folks to leave their trash?).
Let's NOT beat last year's total of nearly 20 tons, up from 15 tons of garbage the year before. ugh!
As a community that treasures its wildlife, environment and one another, we have a choice. We can choose to minimize the impact of our celebration, clean up after ourselves and our neighbors, and restore our beach to the natural wonder that it is. Thank goodness we have chosen the latter for nine years straight and turned it into a Peninsula tradition - an evolving and growing tradition! This year businesses and groups, caring folks, are volunteering to once again hand out bags to people heading out onto the beach on the 4th of July. Would you like to hand out bags on the approaches, or to groups on the beach? Contact Laurie Andersen or Nancy Gorshe at .
On to the cleanup day: Come on out to any beach approach at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, July 5th, or join an adopt-a-beach group at their assigned section (we can help connect you) and help us make a huge difference. Dumpsters will be on the beach, so if you'd like to go out early, or before you head off to work, there's plenty to pick up - so feel free (everyone's help is sorely needed).
A very important note: while it is important to pick up the large pieces of litter, it is especially important this cleanup to concentrate on the small pieces of plastic that even the most conscientious party can't find in the dark of night but so often end up in the stomachs of birds and other wildlife. Remember, every bit of plastic ever created still exists - plastic does not go away, there is NO AWAY. A handful of strainers will be available at each beach approach. Many have found bringing a rake helps collect those pesky plastic pieces (what a pain!)
Re: Dumpsters. One way or another we will have a dumpster or dump truck at all major beach approaches for this cleanup. Thanks to those who contributed to the cleanup fund through Peninsula Sanitation, about $1000 was collected, which is enough to cover the cost of one large dumpster this cleanup. We have had a couple of large and many small contributions and are grateful for every one of them.
A message that can't be said enough "Don't burn or bury it (please, please, please), bag it." Each year we deal with a few hundred (yes, that's hundreds!) fire pits and the molten mess. Please encourage your family, friends, neighbors, visitors - EVERYONE - to take this message to heart. Burn ONLY paper and wood, no bottles, cans or plastic. You think you covered it up, but in less than a month, we get to walk on it. It is not only ugly but it hurts when walked on - think of the unknowing little kids running barefoot on the beach - ouch!
We are grateful to the firework stands that have agreed not to sell those little boxes that blow 100 to 1000 itty bitty sand-colored plastic bits in the air and out onto the sand. These are known as 'missile' type fireworks. They come in 'batteries' of 50, 75, 100, etc. Each 'battery' shoots off a 3" x 1/4" piece of plastic into our ecosystem. We know why those are not a good thing on so many levels. Kudos to the conscientious sellers (David George at New Life Church in Ilwaco) and maybe the rest of us can encourage others not to purchase those or blow them off.
You might also remember, in our last newsletter, that our thank-you soup feed that follows the cleanup has gotten quite a nice reputation. Once again, the soup is ON at the Moose Lodge on U Street in Ocean Park, starting at noon, for ALL volunteers who participate in this cleanup. A variety of soups (did someone say chili dogs?) and tasty desserts can be found by those who gave their time. You'll also enjoy the conversations about - what else? - garbage.
Potluck and speaker July 1 at Senior Center 5 to 7pm:
Help prepare all the supplies for the July 5th cleanup, bring a dish, and enjoy learning some interesting facts from Kelly Rupp as he presents, "Predators and Prey: Who eats who?" Kelly Rupp is a volunteer for the Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the mission of the Willapa Refuge in southwest Washington (www.friendsofwillaparefuge.org). The Willapa supports hundreds of species of birds, fish, amphibians, and mammals across habitat that extends from ocean beaches to saltwater marsh to upland forests. How these species survive and thrive is a story of physical capabilities and differential advantages of each animal. And this story is told with remarkable clarity through the skulls of Willapa’s wildlife, which serve as the hands-on learning tools for this tutorial into why animals do what they do, eat what they eat, and live where they live! Kelly has collected skulls of animal species for over forty years, bringing them into classrooms and adult education settings for fast-paced, always-engaging dialogue that strengthens audience appreciation of native habitat, environmental quality, and species diversity.
Before the cleanup the GRGG Marches in Ocean Park's Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade.
Please come join us in this parade and help recruit volunteers for the July 5th cleanup. We need bodies to show our strength! Bring your family, friends, neighbors, even strangers along. We also need a truck for decorating. Here's the schedule. Come early to decorate the truck or just catch up with us before parade time. This year, we will DECORATE THE TRUCK at 10 AM in the field on U Street, where the parade starts each year. Meet at 11 AM at the same place for a TAILGATE LUNCH so we can PLAN OUR POSITIONS for the parade. PARADE BEGINS at noon from this field and will run for about a mile through Ocean Park. Come with costume or just in your best July 4th duds!! If you find some mean, ugly beach litter, bring it to adorn the 'float'. Call or e-mail Ellen Anderson at 360-665-2734 or so she has a count of who is participating. Thanks for your continuing involvement. This proves to increase community cleanup recruits EVERY YEAR !!!!
Areas that still need to be Adopted:
We need help managing a few areas still, including Westgate RV Park (208th) south to the Pedestrian sign at 199th, 120th south to 105th, 30th Street slough down to Trails End/NACO RV Park and Beards Hollow slough down to Beards Hollow. If you have a group - maybe your family, friends or co-workers - that would like to Adopt-A-Beach, let Shelly know.
Help us spread the word, FaceBook users:
One of our dedicated volunteers understood the power of social networking early on and created a space for us there. PLEASE join us there! We have 330 friends who have "liked" our page and effort; help us raise awareness by getting us over 500. I bet one or two of you have the network to do that - imagine if we all tried.
I'm honored to live in this wonderful community surrounded by people who make a difference - my truly heartfelt thank-you to each and every one of you!
Shelly
