Volunteers netted about 102 pounds of trash during the Sept. 18 cleanup at Ocean Beach Park in New London, one of more than two dozen CT Cleanup events across the state on International Coastal Cleanup Day.
Many youth joined in the cleanup, including members of New London Girl Scouts. Cigarette butts and food wrappers were the most numerous items collected, while unusual items included a set of auto mud flaps, a large iron rod, a tent, cellphone wrapper and shotgun shells. Maggie Redfern, assistant director of the Connecticut College Arboretum, led the event, with sponsorship from Secor Subaru and Save the Sound.
The event served as a finale for the #DontTrashLISound – #DoOneThing campaign by the Connecticut and New York Sea Grant programs that began on Aug. 16 with a cleanup at Sherwood Island State Part in Westport. Partners included the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and Save the Sound. While the campaign of social media posts has ended for 2021, people can still volunteer at cleanups in late September and October. Learn more at: https://www.savethesound.org/2021cleanup/
Maggie Redfern, leader of the cleanup at Ocean Beach Park, instructs the volunteers on collecting data on all the trash they pick up.
David Camperchiolli of Westbrook tallies a plastic cup and a food wrapper collected by another volunteer during the cleanup.
Volunteers Peg Genung of Waterford, left, and Barbara Haid of Meriden picked up dozens of cigarette butts during the cleanup. Cigarette butts were the most numerous item collected by all the groups.
Betsy Perkins, left, and Nancy Dolan, both of New London have been doing the cleanup at Ocean Beach for the past several years. “We love doing this,” Perkins said.
Cheryl Kydd of New London, right, was one of the leaders of the New London Girl Scout troop that volunteered at the cleanup.
Rebecca Tsai of Groton, left, searches for trash along the edge of the boardwalk as Jeri Buckholt of New London tallies her finds.
Sveva Brown, a member of New London Girl Scouts, shows some of the trash she collected, including a styrofoam cup, plastic bottles and food wrappers.
Kerry Morth of Waterford, right, deposits a Doritos wrapper, plastic straw and other items in the bag held by Barbara O’Neill of New London.
Rob DuPont-Sears of Secor Subaru weighs trash collected by some of the volunteers. Secor Subaru was one of the sponsors of the cleanup.
Rob DuPont-Sears of Secor Subaru and David Anderson of Save the Sound lower an iron rod found during the cleanup onto the scale.
