Litter Free By the Sea

Islanders Bank clean up team – Contributed photo

Lori Stokes shares this recap of last week’s clean up event on the islands…

Co-organizers of the sixth annual Great Islands Clean-Up on San Juan Island — Lori Stokes, Jana Marks, and David Dehlendorf — would like to thank our island’s approximately 300 volunteers who participated this year, helping to make San Juan Island “litter-free by the sea.”

Over 100 of these litter-picker-uppers cleaned our beaches (including South Beach, Granny’s Cove, Jacksons Beach, 4th of July Beach, Eagle Cove, Mulno Cove, and Third Lagoon), and the rest cleaned our roadsides. A grand total of about 2,150 pounds of litter was collected!!

Many groups provided enthusiastic volunteers:

Bailer Hill Construction, Cub Scout Pack 4090, Cutthroat Pirates, Friday Harbor Labs, Friends of the San Juans, Island Air, Islanders Bank, Kiwanis, League of Women Voters, Leo’s Club, Lighthouse Preschool, Lions, Mitchell Pt. Litter Ladies & Gents, Mt. Dallas Volunteer Group, Paideia School, Ravenhill Construction, Rotary, San Juan County Land Bank, San Juan County Parks, San Juan Island National Historic Park, Soroptimists, Spring Street International School, Stillpoint School, Trash Masters, and Vinny’s,

These groups were supplemented by the efforts of numerous other volunteers who picked up litter near their homes or businesses. A special shout-out goes to Paideia School with the largest group of participants (by far!), with 50 students, parents, and friends all joining in the fun. (More photos below)

A HUGE thank you goes to Pete Moe of Orcas and Nikyta Palmisani and Nick Teague of Lopez, who organized parallel clean-up events on their islands. Orcas and Lopez had a combined total of 140 participants who collected about 2,700 pounds of litter!

Special acknowledgement also goes to San Juan Sanitation for picking up and disposing of many of the collected bags of litter on San Juan and Orcas Islands, as well as to San Juan County Public Works for supplying grabbers, gloves, vests, and bags; and to the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce for handing out these supplies.

Spring Street International School – Contributed photo

Land Bank – Contributed photo

Rotary Club – Contributed photo

Rotary Club – Contributed photo

Leos Club – Contributed photo

Stillpoint school – Contributed photo

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