East End Organizations Teaming Up For Colossal Earth Day Weekend Cleanup That Covers Almost 30 Miles

Want to show your appreciation for the world around us and help keep everybody’s favorite Hamptons spots in tip-top shape? Make a date to beautify the East End during Imagination Nature’s 5th annual Shoreline Sweep and Concerned Citizens of Montauk’s The Great Montauk Cleanup – both of which are happening the day before Earth Day.

Two years ago, animal advocate, environmentalist and photographer Dell Cullum, who founded the Shoreline Sweep, and CCOM decided to further the reach of their successful cleanups by joining forces and holding a massive effort that spans nearly 30 miles.

“CCOM has been organizing its Earth Day cleanup since 1970, and it remains a beloved community event today,” Kate Rossi-Snook, Concerned Citizens of Montauk Environmental Advocate, noted. “With the pervasiveness of single-use plastics, it is more important than ever that we come together to keep our parks, streams, and beaches clean of trash and debris.”

The 2017 event brought out even more inland volunteer groups, and this year’s cleanup on Saturday, April 21 will include help from Camp Soul Grow, Ditch Plains Association, EH Trail Preservation Society, Group for the East End, Mickey’s Carting, Montauk Brewing Co., Montauk Chamber of Commerce, Montauk Playhouse, Montauk School Student Council, Peconic Estuary Program, Surfrider Foundation, Third House Nature Center, and The Free Ride.

“The Shoreline Sweep is a great way to kick off the warmer and busier seasons, in our never ending crusade against trash and litter,” Cullum explained. “The beaches are why folks come here, whether to live or to visit, and those of us who live here year round knows the importance and connection our community feels with our beaches.”

The Shoreline Sweep, which is the largest community wide beach cleanup, will cover both the south and north shorelines of East Hampton Town, from Wainscott to Montauk, while The Great Montauk Cleanup will focus on “The End” – Montauk beaches, parks, roadsides, or public areas that need a little TLC.

“It’s also important to our wildlife, marine life and our overall environment,” Cullum shared. “Therefore, it’s important as a community, particularly those who use the beaches, to come out in full force on April 21st and help us give our East Hampton Town shoreline, both north and south from Wainscott to Montauk, a clean SWEEP.”

For the Shoreline Sweep, Cullum advises that participants select a main beach location and work their way in either direction until they run into the group from the neighboring beach head. Once you encounter new Sweepers, you can either keep collecting in the opposite direction, head to another beach, or leave your finds at the beach head trash receptacle location, where it will be picked up at the conclusion of the event.

Starting spots recommendations for the Shoreline Sweep include Beach Lane Beach in Wainscott; Georgica Beach, Main Beach, Wiborg Beach, Egypt Beach, Sammy’s Beach, Cedar Point, Northwest Harbor, Augie’s Beach, and Two Mile Hollow in East Hampton; Indian Wells, Lazy Point, Devon Beach, Fresh Pond, Big & Little Alberts, Barns Hole Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Napeague Beach in Amagansett; Louse Pont, Gerard Drive, Hog Creek Point, Flaggy Hole Beach, and Maidstone Beach in Springs; White Sands Beach, Hither Hills, Walking Dunes, and Gardiner’s Bay in Napeague; and Kirk Beach, Ditch Plains, Montauk Point, North Beaches, Navy Beach, and Eddie Ecker Park in Montauk.

Bags and gloves will be available for Shoreline Sweepers from 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at Indian Wells Beach in Amagansett and Main Beach in East Hampton. For those bringing their own, Cullum recommends burlap reusable bags.

The Great Montauk Cleanup volunteers can procure trash bags and gloves at the CCOM Office (6 South Elmwood, Montauk), which is also where the dumpster – generously donated by Mickey’s Carting – will be located. CCOM is thanking helpers by offering complimentary donuts, coffee, or cider at their Montauk office.

“We hope that The Great Montauk Cleanup serves as a reminder of how important it is to place trash and recyclables in their appropriate receptacles – or even reduce our consumption of single-use items and packaging all together!” Rossi-Snook added.

While there’s already a pretty impressive collection of community groups that plan on participating, Cullum and CCOM are already thinking about how they can expand their reach even further. “Next year we hope to coordinate with other shoreline Town’s until we can get the entire shoreline of Long Island involve, and beyond,” Cullum said.

Those interested in the Shoreline Sweep, are asked to email Dull Cullum at [email protected] with the beach location of their preference.

Both cleanup will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a rain date of Saturday, April 28.

For more information about the Shoreline Sweep, visit www.facebook.com. For more information about The Great Montauk Cleanup, visit www.preservemontauk.org.