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| Just ONE of the loads collected last year at the Cove. |
This will be the third annual July 5 clean up aimed at removing literally hundreds of pounds of post fourth trash and fireworks off our beaches. For the last two years the effort has been centralized in Westport at Halfmoon Bay and Westhaven State Park but this year Joseph Stacey of Grayland made contact with Westport organizers in order to combine efforts. Spent fireworks and garbage from bonfires and 4th of July tailgate parties are left behind year after year by both visitors and locals alike.
Cleanup volunteers from the past two years who have lived in the South Beach area for years recall visiting the beach even weeks after the fourth and still finding fireworks debris laying around. This being a primary reason why Kathy Greer began this clean up effort in 2009 with huge support from a small handful of locals. The 4th of July holiday wreaks havoc on beautiful coastal areas everywhere aesthetically and with negative impacts to the health of marine environments. Grayland and south to Pacific County in particular, are hit hard each year with the addition of plentiful vehicular access to the beach. As a beach community it’s a time of year we can all pitch in for the health and beauty of resource we all enjoy and benefit from every day.
A special thanks to Washington State Parks and Ranger Brad Staab who will again donate trash bags and assist with debris transport and to LeMay Enterprises who has sponsored a dumpster which will be placed at the Grayland Beach approach. Volunteers are asked to bring plastic or work gloves.
Below are the logistics for the cleanup:
-Date/Time for the cleanup will be July 5 from 9-12 at both Westport and Grayland locations below.
-Check in for clean up will be July 5 between 9-10 where volunteers can pick up trash bags from cleanup leads at parking lot of Grayland Beach Road (Grayland beach approach) OR Westhaven State Park/the Jetty, Westport.
-Bags of debris in Westport vicinity can be left at either the garbage can area near bathrooms at Westhaven or at a central spot near Coast Guard Tower at Half Moon
Bay where it will be gathered in a pick up truck to be hauled to the dumpster in Grayland.
-Bags of debris in Grayland vicinity must be taken to the dumpster at Grayland Beach Road (the Grayland beach approach of spur SR105).
Folks are asked to bring gloves and/or garbage "pickers" if they like but bags will be distributed. Debris found during past years' have included loads of fireworks debris, wood launch stations, and then your regular party garbage. So come prepared!
Special thanks to all the awesome local support and volunteers heading up this year's cleanup!
See you at the beach!!!
