Surfrider Foundation Hosting 4th Annual One Ocean Event In Montauk

Clean water and healthy beaches will be the focus on Saturday, July 14 during the Surfrider Foundation’s 4th annual One Ocean event at The Edward Vincent Ecker, Sr. County Park in Montauk.

“Surfrider’s One Ocean event brings together leaders from the surf, fashion, music and finance industries in local communities on both U.S. coasts to support clean water and healthy beaches,” noted Dr. Chad Nelsen, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation. “One Ocean is an opportunity to really understand Surfrider’s grassroots network model and how it can scale to protect 100 percent of our coasts.”

The first of a duo of bi-coastal Surfrider benefits, this year’s One Ocean East Coast event will feature a cocktail hour with silent auction, catered dinner and live auction, followed by a presentation about Surfrider’s latest successes, music and festivities. The Los Angeles One Ocean event will take place in September.

Proceeds from the evening will support the organization’s on-the-ground efforts to observe and analyze local waters, educate the public and ensure public health through the Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force water quality program, which in coordination with Concerned Citizens of Montauk (CCOM) and Peconic Baykeeper recently released the 2017 Blue Water Task Force Water Quality Report. This year’s report found that “bacteria levels are higher in closed systems with minimal to no flushing, bacteria levels are higher during the summer months; and, bacteria levels are higher after rain events.” However, the majority of ocean and bay beaches are typically safe for swimming during most of the year. Each year the program reviews water quality data that is collected from 50 sites in the Towns of East Hampton and Southampton by trained volunteers and then analyzed for the “presence of enterococcus bacteria that indicates fecal pollution from human or animal waste, and the presence of other pathogens that can make people sick.” The benefit will also back Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Gardens program, which was founded to lower water pollution.

Through funding raised at this annual Hamptons event, Surfrider has been able to grow its local reach and clean water efforts, as well as its efforts to reduce the plastic pollution in Montauk communities. Earlier this year, the Surfrider Foundation Eastern Long Island Chapter launched the “Strawless Summer” campaign, which focuses on decreasing the use of plastic straws at restaurants in the area. Those that have joined the initiative pledged to “go completely strawless, provide biodegradable (paper, bamboo) straws only upon request or provide reusable alternatives to plastic (stainless steel).” The Eastern Long Island Chapter also organizes and takes part in cleanups throughout the year that have collectively removed up to thousands of straws from local beaches. During a cleanup in Greenport, volunteers collected nearly 1,000 straws alone.

Tickets to the 4th annual One Ocean are $500 per person. The soiree will take place from 6 to 10 p.m.

For more information, visit www.surfrider.org.