Volunteers needed for Great Lakes shorelines cleanup
A massive clean-up will occur along Great Lakes shorelines on Sept. 20, if enough volunteers show up.
New and returning volunteers are needed to help clear beaches and shorelines during the Adopt-a-Beach event, which is organized by the Alliance for the Great Lakes in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.
"Our volunteers visibly improve beaches by clearing away trash, and their efforts help us inform the public about why we shouldn't leave litter on our beaches in the first place," said Todd Brennan, the Adopt-a-Beach coordinator in Wisconsin.
Beach litter also endangers birds, who become entangled in strings or have beaks trapped in food packages.
Last year more than 4,100 volunteers participated, including 350 from Wisconsin, who conducted cleanups in six counties along both Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
Beaches to be cleaned and monitored this year are located in Milwaukee, Racine, Manitowoc, Kenosha and Ashland.
For more information, or to register as a volunteer online, see www.greatlakesadopt.org. Or contact Brennan at 414-559-0317.
The Wisconsin cleanup is supported by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee and SC Johnson in Racine.
In another recognition of the importance of the 1,000 miles of Wisconsin coastline on two Great Lakes, Gov. Jim Doyle has declared September 2008 Wisconsin Coastal Awareness Month. His proclamation highlighted the importance of the lakes to state's recreation and economy.
Activities planned this month will include a public challenge Tuesday by the mayors of Racine and Bayfield to other harbor town mayors to promote eco-tourism, clean beaches and marinas. And the fourth annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference will take place in Milwaukee from Sept. 10 to 12.
"The scenic beauty and economic power of the Great Lakes are a big part of what makes Wisconsin a wonderful place to life," Doyle said in a statement. "Protecting our Great Lakes is a top priority, and a real challenge."
