Sarasota Bay Watch seeks volunteers for Sister Keys Cleanup

Sarasota Bay Watch is seeking volunteers for the sixth annual Sister Keys Cleanup.
Sign-up begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 17, at Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, 760 Broadway. The cleanup takes place from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

The purpose of the event is to remove trash and debris from Sister Keys, the largest undeveloped islands from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, developers sought to build the Shangri Isle Club on the mangrove islands — complete with a golf course and landing strip for airplanes — and later planned to develop residential homes on the islands. But thanks to the efforts of the Sister Keys Conservancy, a group of citizens that formed to fight development on the four islands, the town purchased the keys in 1992, ensuring their preservation as mangrove wetland.

Volunteers should bring sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat, gloves, glasses and water shoes. Kayaks and boats are welcome; those who don’t have a boat can sign on as crew members. Participants will receive a complimentary lunch after the cleanup at Mar Vista.

For information and registration, visit sarasotabaywatch.org.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].