Summer is in full swing and so are the organizers of the 8th Annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup. “More volunteers and less trash,” is the motto for this year’s event. This summer’s cleanup effort is conducted by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC) and sponsored by the Florida Inland Navigation District. “Since 2007, we have engaged more than 5,600 volunteers, who together have removed more than 60 tons of trash from the waterways of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties," says Event Coordinator April Price. “Last year we saw our first significant decrease in trash collected. The previous 4 years we averaged about 7.5 tons per event and in 2014, with a 10% increase in volunteers, we collected 6 tons. This was down from 7.6 tons in 2013. This is a trend we hope will continue.”
The Treasure Coast has proclaimed July 20-25th, as Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup Week. The counties of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River, along with the municipalities of Stuart, Port Saint Lucie, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach and Sebastian will all recognize the efforts of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC), the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) and its 1,000 plus volunteers who work to keep our waterways clean.
“The waterways in the District can accumulate trash and debris from many sources. FIND sponsors voluntary waterway clean ups in each of the 12 counties in the District with Keep Florida Beautiful affiliates as well as Marine Industry Associations,” says Janet Zimmerman, Assistant Executive Direct for FIND. “We believe these cleanup efforts are important not just for the health of the waterway because of the removal of the debris, but also because they help to bring together the users of the waterway in a spirit of community and in a way that fosters environmental awareness. These are good projects, and we enjoy sponsoring them up and down the waterway.”
This year’s volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, water craft participants will also receive a commemorative burgee. Volunteers will be recognized at a “Thank You BBQ” on Sunday, August 9th. To register, just go to www.TCWaterwayCleanup.com or show up at one of our designated sites on the day of the cleanup. The event runs from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM on Saturday, July 25th.
“There are several Coastal Cleanups that take place throughout the Treasure Coast which are vital to the health of our beaches and shore line. However this cleanup specifically concentrates on the waterways, spoil islands and area canals,” says Steve Haigis, Marina Manager of Loggerhead Marina and past president MIATC. “This is our chance to involve the entire Treasure Coast community in an industry that is vital to our economic well-being. We get to give back and educate folks on the importance of keeping our waterways clean.”
For more information regarding our sponsors, or to view photos, visit the web site at www.tcwaterwaycleanup.com or contact April Price, (772) 285-1646.
About Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast
The Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Inc. (MIATC) is a not-for-profit trade association representing recreational marine businesses in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River and Okeechobee counties. MIATC is dedicated to the promotion of pleasure boating and s related industries.
About Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast
The Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Inc. (MIATC) is a not-for-profit trade association representing recreational marine businesses in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River and Okeechobee counties. MIATC is dedicated to the promotion of pleasure boating and s related industries.
