Page 7 - Palm City Spotlight - August '22

Palm City Spotlight, Page 7

CommuNity Efforts Treasure Coast

Keep Martin Beautiful Outdoors

Encourages Residents To Join

The International Coastal Goodbye Seaweed, Hello
Cleanup Locally Fish. Now Chum, Chum,
Chum!
As the end of summer approaches, Keep Martin Beautiful,
a local environmental, volunteer-based nonprofit, looks ahead By Jim Weix
to one of the largest and most impactful events of the year: the The calm seas were
International Coastal Cleanup. With Keep Martin Beautiful enough for me to get
serving as the local coordinator, Martin County residents have my other half, Lezlie
participated in this unique, global event for more than 25 years. Brukwicki, out on the
Volunteers from around the world unite to remove litter and ocean. She is not a fan
marine debris from shorelines and waterways. This year’s of getting banged around
cleanup will take place at beaches and waterways throughout in rough seas.
Martin County on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 8 to 11 a.m. Our plans were to
Spearheaded globally by the Ocean Conservancy, the troll for dolphin and
International Coastal Cleanup has had a significant impact sailfish. Unfortunately,
in the 35-plus years since its inception. Since 1986, the event Keep Martin Beautiful International Coastal Cleanup like everyone else out,
has inspired over 17 million volunteers to take action and volunteers during the 2021 cleanup at Jensen Beach it was a miserable day of doing nothing but taking
collect more than 348 million pounds of trash from around weeds off the lines. No matter where we went, the
the world. Just last year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers About Keep Martin Beautiful weeds were there.
from over 150 countries participated. This is an incredible Keep Martin Beautiful (KMB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit But the weeds have now dissipated, so trolling is
opportunity for those in our local area to be a part of this community organization founded in 1994 as an affiliate again productive. Dolphin are showing up in fish boxes
global movement. of Keep America Beautiful. Its mission is to preserve and and sailfish are providing plenty of action.
“Our waterways are the lifeblood of our community, and enhance the quality of life in Martin County through litter Snapper and grouper fishing is good, but a cold
our volunteers are the heart of our organization. It’s their prevention, the promotion of recycling, improvement of water upwelling is creating issues. You may want to
energy and commitment to the International Coastal Cleanup solid waste management practices, and beautification and try fishing on shallower reefs if the deeper ones aren’t
that makes such a tangible difference in our community,” community revitalization activities. KMB signature events and producing.
explained Keep Martin Beautiful Executive Director Tiffany programs include the Environmental Stewardship Awards, The calmer summertime seas are ideal for
Kincaid. “We are so thankful for the hard work put forward the International Coastal Cleanup, the Great American chumming your way to success. When I say chum,
by our residents to create a more beautiful environment and Cleanup, the Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Street programs, I don’t mean one small block of ground up fish in a
county.” as well as other educational and outreach activities. Find mesh bag. Think 10 of those bags along with chunked
Volunteers must preregister online so event coordinators KMB on Facebook at facebook.com/KeepMartinBeautiful, up fish.
can monitor site distribution and prepare supplies prior to the follow KMB on Twitter at twitter.com/KMBmartin, visit Anchor on a reef or south of some other structure.
event. To ensure their cleanup efforts are fully recognized, KeepMartinBeautiful.org or call (772) 781-1222. Then hang two bags of chum over the side of the boat.
our volunteers are encouraged to download and use the If the ocean is calm, you will start to see a slick form
CleanSwell app. This user-friendly app allows volunteers behind the boat. Then start adding chunked up fish to
™
to easily track the litter they collect and report it to the global What Volunteers Need To your slick. Pretty much anything that swims will be
database. The numbers from the app are used by scientists and attracted to your floating buffet.
professionals from Ocean Conservancy to analyze patterns Know You can do the same thing with bottom fishing.
across the world. I attach a couple of chum bags to a 5-to-10-pound
The International Coastal Cleanup is also a great • The International Coastal Cleanup targets beaches, weight, depending upon the current, and lower it down
opportunity for environmentally minded businesses and waterways, and parks throughout Martin County. with a hand line or downrigger. Again, everything on
other supporters to show their commitment to our natural • Preregistration is required to ensure volunteers are the reef will be attracted to this free meal.
environment and our community. Sponsors receive assigned to areas most in need. Editor’s note: Jim Weix is an avid hunter, angler,
significant exposure through our social media platforms, • An app is available to track the litter from the cleanup. conservationist, as well as an outdoor writer.
digital marketing and promotion of the event, as well as The unique data-gathering feature of this cleanup records Jim is included in the Wisconsin Waterfowl
inclusion of their company logo on volunteer T-shirts. For every piece of litter collected. Association’s Hall of Fame, for his work in helping
sponsorship information contact Keep Martin Beautiful at • Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes. restore thousands of acres of wetlands. Jim is a broker
(772) 781-1222 or info@keepmartinbeautiful.org. • Participants will be provided with cleanup supplies and associate with The Keyes Company. He can be reached
To register for the cleanup, go to keepmartinbeautiful. a T-shirt (while supplies last). at (772) 341-2941 or by email: jimweix@jimweix.com.
org/international-coastal-cleanup.

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