Rocky Point, Clarendon — Equipped with gloves, rakes, data cards and garbage bags, some 40 volunteers descended on a small, secluded beach along the Rocky Point Port Road in Clarendon recently to participate in the 31st Annual International Coastal Cleanup Day coordinated by the Leo Club of Clarendon.

A news release said members of the community, the Lions Club of Clarendon, Clarendon Youth Council, May Pen Police Youth Club, Hayes Police Youth Club and Staines Early Childhood and Preparatory School were among those involved in the clean-up.

Household items, old shoes, plastic products of all kind, glass bottles, styrofoam containers and personal care items were among some of the most common pieces of trash picked up by the volunteers.

“International Coastal Cleanup Day is a major calendar event for us because we are very passionate about environmental preservation. It was appalling to see the condition that this coastal area was in, so we decided to take a step outside of our comfort zone to coordinate our own clean-up instead of assisting other organisations as we normally do. This was made possible through guidance and funding from the Jamaica Environment Trust” said president, Tissona Ormsby.

She said she was pleased with the turnout and the results of the clean-up. “Initially, we were expecting only 25 volunteers to show up, but we nearly doubled our expectations. We have transformed this area into an oasis thanks to the volunteers who put their hands, heart and sweat into keeping our coast clean,” said Ormsby.

Community member Taralace Farquhar also expressed joy after witnessing the transformation of the coastline. “I joined this beach clean-up because it is close to home and I like being involved in activities that will benefit society. It was certainly satisfying to see the natural beauty of the beach after most of the garbage was removed,” she said.

International Coastal Cleanup Day has been coordinated globally by the Ocean Conservancy since 1985 and locally by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) since 2008. According to the news release, it is the largest one-day volunteer event in the world and is also used to educate people about where their waste goes, and its impact on the environment.