Ocean Conservancy joins a coalition led by Water Warrior Alliance to remove debris caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

PINELLAS COUNTY – Beginning Friday afternoon, Ocean Conservancy and its partners will clean up the areas hardest hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. After Helene flooded out so many residents, Milton made the clean-up all the more difficult by scattering debris and litter throughout Pinellas County. 

Three clean-ups organized and presented by local non-profit Water Warrior Alliance will take place in Madeira Beach, St. Pete, and Reddington Shores this weekend. Each cleanup is a collaboration with each city and several community partners, including Ocean Conservancy. 

Volunteers are needed for these clean-ups. Ocean Conservancy encourages volunteers to bring supplies, such as wagons, rakes, buckets, grabbers, etc., if they are able. 

“As a St. Petersburg resident, it’s been devastating to see what these storms did to our beaches and homes,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Manager Theo Koboski. “But what’s been astounding is the huge community response to help and restore these places we love. Ocean Conservancy is proud to join our fantastic partners in cleaning up the beaches and areas that make Tampa Bay special..”

In Pinellas County, following Hurricane Milton, 284 homes were destroyed. 2,135 homes saw major damage, and thousands of others were affected. 

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY:

Media will have the opportunity to interview Ocean Conservancy experts, community partners, and volunteers. During the scheduled clean-ups, there will be b-roll opportunities to show the debris and litter left behind by the storms and the efforts being taken to remove it. 

To coordinate media interviews, contact Roya Fox at [email protected] or 202.280.6285.

Friday, October 25: 

Madeira Beach: 15042 Madeira Way, Madeira Beach

• Clean-up begins at 4:30 p.m.
• Partners:
  • Water Warrior Alliance
  • Ocean Conservancy
  • City of Madeira Beach
  • Coastal Crusaders
  • Old Salts
  • Saltwater Hippie
  • Indian Rocks Beach Trash tribe

Saturday, October 26: 

St. Petersburg

• Clean-up times
  • 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Locations
  • Crescent Lake Park: 1320 5th St N, St. Petersburg
  • Historic Round Lake Park: 6th Ave N, St. Petersburg
  • Mirror Lake Park: Mirror Lake Dr N, St. Petersburg
• Partners for all St. Pete Clean-ups:
  • Water Warrior Alliance
  • Ocean Conservancy 
  • Car-Free St. Pete
  • City of St. Pete and Downtown St Pete partnership

Sunday, October, 27: 

Reddington Shores: 18200 Gulf Blvd, Reddington Shores

• Clean-up begins at 4:30 p.m.
• Partners:
  • Water Warrior Alliance
  • Ocean Conservancy
  • Reddington Shores
  • Indian Rocks Beach Trash Tribe

Ocean Conservancy hosts the International Coastal Cleanup®. Since 1986, more than 18 million volunteers have collected nearly 385 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways around the world. With the help of volunteers and community partners in clean-ups like these, that number continues to grow. 

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ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY  

Ocean Conservancy envisions a healthier ocean, protected by a more just world. Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.