- April 24, 2024
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Taylor Thoma holds Aspen, the youngest member of the cleanup.
The cleanup participants gather for a group photo before heading out.
Dawn DiFoggio tallied the trash for one group.
Peter and Olga Stokes, Dawn DiFoggio and Charles and Karey Kaine head down the beach.
Karey Kaine drops trash into Charles Kaine's bag.
Olga Stokes shows her handful of trash before tallying it up.
Peter Stokes and Dawn DiFoggio ponder what this bit of trash once was.
A long line: Dawn DiFoggio notes the trash that Peter Stokes and Charles Kaine bring to her.
Olga Stokes shows one of the bigger pieces of trash found.
Olga and Peter Stokes haul back some netting.
At the end, the trash was gathered for its closeup.
Trash, glorious trash.
Trash going where it belongs.
Karey and Charles Kaine keeping Manatee beautiful.
“Straw!”
“Plastic!”
“Got some foam.”
On Saturday, Sept. 21, these shouts filled the early morning air on Longboat Key’s beaches as over 30 volunteers gathered to pick up other people’s trash. The gathering was part of International Coastal Cleanup, put on in this area by Keep Manatee Beautiful. Other cleanups took care of other areas of the coast, from Anna Maria Island down to Siesta Key.
Everyone met at Christ Church of Longboat Key before fanning out, armed with reusable bags for trash and a group leader to tally the trash. Every particle was counted, from a bit of foam to an old boogie board. A few discoveries of a more natural nature, including bleached crab skeletons and shells, turned up as well. It gets easier to spot things when your eyes are constantly fixated on the ground.
Afterward, the trash was dumped into the beach trash cans, hands were scrubbed and folks joined each other for breakfast at Blue Dolphin Cafe.
