On Sunday, January 2, 2022, 30 WeLoveU volunteers and beachgoers kicked off the New Year by cleaning Sand Key Beach in Clearwater, FL. Part of the Clean WORLD Movement, the cleanup was in partnership with the Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department.
With every new year comes a renewed heart and mind to lead a better quality of life. Many families and friends gathered to close 2021 and welcome 2022 with a dazzling fireworks display at Sand Key Beach. It’s a popular destination for such celebrations as it is a local getaway in Clearwater, FL. However, it is home to endangered sea turtles and birds to nest their young. Firework waste is a choking hazard to animals that can’t discern between debris and food. Furthermore, when a firework ignites, it releases toxic chemicals into the natural habitat. If this enters the water where the marine wildlife lives, it changes the water quality, odor, and taste, making it harmful to the ecosystem.
One Goal: Protect Our Marine Life
The WeLoveU volunteers addressed the concern by picking up firework debris, driftwood, a bookcase, stadium chair, cigarette butts, take-out boxes, and bottle caps. By the end of the cleanup, the group collected 25 bags of trash, weighing 250 pounds. The Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department left a dumpster for proper trash disposal.
“It means a lot,” expressed Sean Woodruff, a lifelong community resident who joined the cleanup. “We have such a beautiful area and so many things that we can do, and it’s terrible to see garbage when you walk along the beach or the shoreline or anywhere. [The cleanup] makes it more inviting. It makes you have a better sense of pride for where you live.”
The WeLoveU Foundation is thankful to start a new year by sharing a mother’s love with their Clearwater community.
12 thoughts on “30 Volunteers Spend New Year’s Weekend Ridding Sand Key Beach of Firework Debris and Litter”
You started the new year with a mother’s heart. We are proud of your hard work.
This is awesome. So great to see this type of work happening in the world. Great way to spend a holiday.
Wow what an incredible way to bring in the new year. I absolutely love this foundation. They never cease to amaze me. It’s good to see so many bright faces cleaning up our world.
Such an amazing organization that makes great efforts in the well being of the global communities all over the world. I am so excited to see what future projects are to come this year in 2022 !!
Keep up the great work.
It is always refreshing to see a nice clean beach. I am sure the wildlife will benefit a lot from this cleanup!
Great job to an amazing organization!
I never knew how detrimental fireworks and their waste could be to our environment and wildlife. Thank you WeLoveU volunteers for always putting in the time, effort, and love to make our environment a cleaner, better place to live in. Great job all around!
So amazing to see such a beautiful group of people coming together to impact the world in there efforts. Thank you for taking care of Clearwater and the Florida Area
What a beautiful way to spend a new year by doing a good deed! And serving the community, it always make me happy to see those who care for their community. Wonderful job!
This is inspiring!
Happy New Year! What a great way to start off the year! I hope the WeLoveU Foundation has an amazing year and accomplishes all their goals to make the world a clean and beautiful place. Also, I hope many people will join and participate in this amazing movement!
Praiseworthy efforts to start the year!