OpSplash22 Clean Up

On Saturday, March 24, 2012, volunteers from Operation SPLASH (Stop Littering Polluting and Save Harbors) will meet at Bay County Park, 1 First Ave, East Rockaway, NY, board boats and head out to remote islands along the South Shore of Long Island for OpSPLASH22. For the 22nd year, volunteers will donate their morning to help clean up the local bays.

Bags in hand, volunteers will be on the lookout for any trash and debris they can find. Litter most commonly found on the marshes include Styrofoam coffee cups, bottles, and juice boxes. Many think that the trash is a result of careless boaters, however, the majority of trash starts out as ordinary street litter and gets washed into storm drains as far north as Garden City and then released into the bay.

Last year, volunteers collected 10,000 pounds of shoreline trash- enough to fill a barge 14 feet wide, 36 feet long and 8 feet deep. One of the SPLASH boats reported hauling back seven tires, four boat fenders, a ten gallon water heater and forty-six bags of trash.

"I never realized that the marshes could look so beautiful but be filled with so much trash." Reported Captain Don Harris, Vice President and 21 year member of Operation SPLASH. He continued, "Anyone who likes to swim in the summer, go fishing or enjoy our Long Island shoreline should be part be this worthwhile event. It feels good to be part of the solution!"

Volunteers should dress in appropriate clothing depending on the weather that day (dressing in layers is a good idea), with waterproof boots and work gloves (a hat is also recommended). For safety reasons, no sneakers or shoes will be allowed on the marsh. In addition, volunteers should bring a change of clothes, sunglasses, sunscreen, water and any other essential items. Children must be at least 12 years old to participate and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Founded in Freeport in 1990, Operation SPLASH is a 2,500 member, grassroots, all-volunteer organization dedicated to improving the quality of the waterways along the South Shore of Long Island. Throughout its 21 year history, SPLASH volunteers have removed more than 1,000,000 pounds of trash from the local waterways. The organization is currently working on other important projects designed to protect and preserve the fragile South Shore estuaries. Meetings are held at the Freeport Recreation Center on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm.

To arrange a presentation at your school, Scout group or civic organization, call (516) 378-4770 or email education@operationsplash.org. For more information and future SPLASH events visit www.operationsplash.org or call (515) 378-4770.