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Trash Bash Northwest Cape to hold 23rd annual clean up effort

3 min read

Tired of seeing trash and waste around your neighborhood and want to be part of the solution?

The 23rd annual Northwest Cape Coral Trash Bash is this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Burnt Store Road Boat Ramp.

Volunteers will work with city code compliance and and local police departments to tidy up roads, canals, neighborhoods, vacant properties and more as part of “Keep Lee County Beautiful,” an initiative started to keep the region pristine to live, work and play.

“This event brings together Lee County, Cape Coral, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Northwest Neighborhood Association and our neighbors to keep the area clean,” said Judy Harvey, site captain for the Burnt Store Road Public Boat Ramp location. “The appearance of our neighborhoods has greatly improved in recent years, as we have become more aware of unsightly litter and how it affects our environment. Over the years, we’ve become more vigilant about minimizing litter year round to keep it from getting trapped in fences, vegetation and along canals and endangering our environment and wildlife.”

Prevention is the message this event is trying to share.

“If you don’t throw your trash in the first place, we won’t have to pick it up,” added Harvey.

Volunteers should come dressed in protective clothing, closed-toe shoes and sun screen. Free trash bags, gloves, T-shirts and water will all be available.

Boat or water-craft owners can also help clean the canal with CCPD’s Marine Unit.

“We’re cleaning on land and canals,” Harvey said.

Participants are asked to gather at the site at 8:30 a.m. to receive their tools, water and assignments.

Lunch provided by Domino’s will be served at noon.

Harvey noted that the uptick in construction around the neighborhood, as well as population growth, has led to a bit more trash finding its way onto Cape streets.

Volunteers will be directed by code enforcement to specific areas that may have been “abandoned” or where lots of debris has piled up as a result of negligence.

The day is one to make a positive environmental impact on our area, which relies on wildlife presence and unblemished water to drive tourists to the area, said Harvey.

“The county and Cape Coral are very environmentally conscious on this matter. The wildlife brings people here. We need to make sure they have a clean environment as we do.”

Other than cleaning up, the event is a great way to spend the day with your family, maybe meet some neighbors and even teach young ones about the impacts of littering.

Harvey said there will be safety tips for best practices before the outing so people know what to avoid and the best way to remove trash.

“This really is a community partnership,” she said.

The event is part of 15 total clean-ups happening Saturday across the county known as the 2018 Great American Cleanup.

The other Cape Coral location is at Jaycee Park.

Harvey said she is extremely encouraged by this initiative and how the county has been working for decades to “Keep Lee County Beautiful.”

For all participating locations, visit www.KLCB.org/great-american-cleanup.html.

The Burnt Store Road Boat Ramp is at 230 Burnt Store Road South.

-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj