Southold Town Seeks Organizations for Beach and Park Clean-Ups

If your family or organization is looking for a way to help on Earth Day, the is offering bags and gloves to volunteers looking to make a difference.

Earth Day is on Friday, but with the kids off from school this week the opportunity to participate in clean-ups does not have to be limited to Earth Day. Each year the Town encourages groups to participate in local beach and park clean ups by providing bags and gloves.

“We generally get many inquiries and we see lots of local groups organize clean ups. We supply gloves, bags and, in many cases, transport of the material to the transfer station,” said Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell.

The town will often coordinate with these groups for pick up of the debris that was collected as well. According to Deputy Supervisor Phillip Beltz, several groups have already registered their projects with the town and the New Suffolk Civic Association has already completed their clean-up.

"In the past the Town has commemorated Earth Day via the Youth Bureau’s celebration of Global Youth Service Day.  This year we wanted to broaden the scope to encourage communities to organize their own efforts with the Town’s support (pick up debris, provision of bags and gloves)," said Beltz.

 This year the town is asking residents to pay particular attention to the end of South Harbor Road in Southold, and Inlet Drive in Mattituck, and 67 Steps, Gull Pond), and Chapel Lane in Greenport.

Earth Day activities on the North Fork are not limited to clean-ups. Thein Greenport will host a special slide show on Friday at 6:30 p.m. by Professor Doug Hardy featuring the effects of climate change on Greenland.

If you are interested in organizing a clean-up, please call Supervisor Russell’s office at 631-765-1889.