New York Marine Rescue Center seeks volunteers to join them for a beach cleanup at Cedar Beach, 223 Harbor Road, Mt. Sinai on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m.; and at Crab Meadow Beach, 90 Waterview St., Fort Salonga on Sunday, Aug. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. Come join them in their effort to eradicate marine debris from our local beaches and help save our wildlife! To sign up, visit nymarinerescue.org.
By Heidi Sutton
Get involved with your community by taking part in one of the following Earth Day events this weekend.
Train Station Beautification Project
The Three Village Community Trust invites the community to join them in The Stony Brook Train Station Beautification Project on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for Earth Day. The group will be weeding, clearing fallen branches, removing litter, de-vining trees, and other tasks to beautify the Station. Bring your gloves and garden tools and enjoy refreshments music and more. For more information, call 631-942-4558.
Greenway Trail Cleanup
Volunteers are wanted for a Friends of the Greenway trail clean-up at the Port Jefferson Station trailhead (parking lot by Rte. 112/Hallock Avenue) on Saturday, April 27 starting at 9 a.m. If you can not make the Saturday event, any time during that week if you can stop by your favorite Greenway spot and do a quick clean-up is appreciated,
Community Beach Cleanup
Gallery North in Setauket hosts a Community Beach Clean-Up at Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area (15 Shore Drive, Old Field) on Saturday, April 27 and Smith Point Beach (1 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley) on Sunday, April 28. Each cleanup will be conducted in two shifts starting at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. each day. Held rain or shine. Pre-registration is encouraged by visiting www.gallerynorth.org. 631-751-2676
SWR 2024 Earth Day Cleanup
The Wading River Shoreham Chamber of Commerce invites the community to participate in an Earth Day Clean-up event on Sunday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River for a day of environmental stewardship. Supplies will be provided or feel free to bring you own. Community service credits available. This event is rain or shine. Sign up www.wadingrivershorehamchamber.com.
Volunteer Open House
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead will hold a Volunteer Recruitment and Orientation Day on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteer roles include gardening, helping to organize and staff special events, maintaining the buildings and grounds, serving as tour docents, arranging and leading educational and children’s activities and adult workshops and assisting with marketing and fundraising. To register, email [email protected].
Send your News Around Town to [email protected]
Nicole, a Miller Place resident, has long frequented Mount Sinai’s Cedar Beach, saying she has often enjoyed visiting this scenic destination with her family. In recent years, however, she has noticed one “really unsettling” trend.
“So much garbage is left behind on the beach,” she said. “It makes me sad.”
Nicole said she and some other locals have grown increasingly agitated with the Town of Brookhaven over a perceived buildup of litter and fishing debris at Cedar Beach, with some even suggesting a lack of code enforcement and security measures.
In the face of these objections, many continue enjoying the beach, according to town official Kevin Molloy, chief of staff in the supervisor’s office.
While Molloy acknowledges that some debris is left on the beach occasionally despite town efforts, he argues that residual garbage is inevitable during heightened summer activity and the “thousands of people” enjoying the beach each week.
“We comb the beach every morning, every day — sometimes multiple times a day, we will remove garbage,” Molloy noted. “We are not seeing anything different compared to past years.”
The beach contains a marina, harbor, yacht club, oyster and clam hatchery, nature preserve, basketball courts and a playground. There is also live music and sunrise yoga.
Given all this activity, Molloy says that the town is attentive to its upkeep responsibilities and that its staff is “continuously cleaning and picking things up.”
He said that the town leads an annual beach cleanup, partnering with local environmental groups before each season. The oyster and clam hatchery also works to improve water quality.
Molloy further emphasized that Brookhaven prides itself on being accessible to anyone who wants to use it as long as they follow town rules.
“There is something for everybody from the little kids with the playground to kayaking to basketball,” he said, adding, “That’s not to say we don’t have a host of rules.”
To access the beach, Brookhaven residents must either possess a $30 annual parking permit or pay hourly parking fees. The cost for seniors (60+), handicapped and veterans per vehicle is just $7 for 2023. Nonresidents can pay hourly for parking or buy the $350 annual parking permit.
Given the general cost of beach access and public resources put toward maintenance, some residents feel that the state of the beach could be better. Nicole, who pays for the permit annually, said the lack of ticketing and security is problematic.
“People are parking and not paying the meter,” she said. “They take complete advantage.”
Nicole argues that the “code needs to be enforced” by penalizing violators in the act instead of simply cleaning up after the damage is done.
She added that she and others are upset by fishermen who don’t clean up after themselves or encroach upon bathing areas.
On Saturday, November 5th, the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center and Youth & Community Alliance had 54 student and parent volunteers, in conjunction with the Parks Department, Public Safety Bay Constables, and Park Rangers, clean up harmful waste left along the shoreline of Schubert’s Beach. This initiative was conducted to help bring community awareness as a part of the Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance’s efforts to keep the community safe and clean. This event was initially scheduled for October 1st, but was rescheduled. This is the second annual beach clean-up for the group. Last year, volunteers cleaned up Long Beach.
“This was another fantastic turnout from our brightest future leaders within the community. I’d like to thank the Youth & Community Alliance team, our Parks Department, Public Safety Bay Constables & Park Rangers, and most of all our young student volunteers, who all worked together in this year’s cleanup. These events are vital to encouraging the public to be proactive in keeping our shorelines safe for residents and wildlife alike. I commend the Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance, student volunteers and their parents for going above and beyond to protect and care for our pristine beaches and wildlife habitat at Schubert’s Beach,” said Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.
With the help of Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance personnel, the students collected trash and recorded any evidence of alcohol, tobacco, vape and drug related waste, including a syringe, to help identify the areas where substance use is taking place. The group also collected litter, discarded fishing equipment, and other household items. The New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force was scheduled to take part in the October 1st event, but they unfortunately could not make the rescheduled date due to a conflict with their schedule.
“We were lucky enough to have great weather on the day of this rescheduled event. It was actually a PERFECT day for a beach cleanup! Alliance student volunteers and a few of their parents were so enthusiastic and happy to be part of this project. It was a very effective beach cleanup; an educational experience about substance use in that location, and a wonderful opportunity for students and families to socialize and enjoy a beautiful morning together,” said Janine Marc-Anthony, Youth Services Coordinator, Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau
To get involved with future Youth Bureau events, apply to become a volunteer with the Smithtown Youth Bureau Volunteer Corps. Complete and submit the online volunteer application form, available on the Youth Bureau website. Adults and students are invited to register.
Mark your calendars! The New York Marine Rescue Center will host the following beach cleanups for the summer. Join them in their effort to eradicate marine debris from our local beaches and help save our wildlife.
Cleanup’s at the following locations will take place on Sunday’s from 6 to 8 pm.: Cedar Beach, 244 Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai on July 10, Aug. 7 and Sept. 18; Crab Meadow Beach, Waterside Avenue, Fort Salonga on July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 25; and FINS at Smith Point County Park, 1 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley on July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 25.
To participate in one of these cleanup’s, call 631-369-9840 or visit www.nymarinerescue.org.
By Sabrina Artusa
Phil and Patrick O’Brien, owners of the Port Jefferson Station-based clothing brand Anchor East Apparel, hosted their second beach cleanup at West Meadow Beach on July 18.
The brothers grew up on the water and are heavily involved in the boating community. As a result, they decided to actualize their appreciation for Long Island and the water through their brand.
When they developed the line during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, they knew they wanted to use their brand to promote beach cleanups. Only a couple months after launching their business, they successfully held their second beach cleanup on Sunday.
Phil O’Brien said the idea struck them after his daughter cut her foot on a piece of glass on the beach. They realized that in order to ensure the safety of civilians, the beaches need to be cleaner. Although the beaches might look acceptable, the sand is actually covered in “little things” like discarded ketchup packets and broken beer bottles. “You’d be amazed at how much you find,” he said.
After only four hours, they accumulated a sizable pile of garbage, but not all of it was destined for the trash. The brothers dispatch recyclable material to be remade into bracelets, which they sell for $2 each. They donate 100% of the money made from bracelet sales to the Ocean Conservancy.
The O’Briens hope to make the cleanups a regular event, their goal being to hold three every summer. Ultimately, the brothers “plan to keep growing” and host beach cleanups all over Long Island, starting at the East End and making their way west.
Phil O’Brien said he hopes these cleanups will encourage people to more closely observe how they are impacting the beaches.
“We shouldn’t have to have companies promote this,” he said. “People need to be more aware.”
The O’Briens have yet to establish a date for the next cleanup, but are likely going to have another one toward the end of the summer season.
Port Jefferson Village officials headed to Centennial Beach on Saturday to unveil its new beach cleanup incentive.
Partnering with Remsenburg-based nonprofit Relic Sustainability, the group has collaborated several times with the county and the Town of Brookhaven to create cleaner beaches for everyone to enjoy.
“Our goal is to collaborate with the town, businesses and community members in combating beach pollution that is a growing issue on the coastline of Long Island,” Alex Kravitz, COO of Relic, previously told TBR News.
On Saturday, June 12, county, town and village officials joined the group to celebrate Port Jefferson’s first basket station right at the entrance into Centennial Beach. These stations give beachgoers the opportunity to take a basket on the beach, pick up trash and deposit it into a trash receptacle. This is part of Relic’s Coastal Collaborative project, which encompasses 10 preexisting stations across Long Island, including one at Cedar Beach that was unveiled by the town in April.
Kravitz said the plan is to add more stations across Long Island and at different county parks.
Spearheaded to bring into the village by Trustee Rebecca Kassay, she said the baskets will help people make good choices while out and about, as well as at home.
“It’s so important to put in steps like this, to empower individuals to be good stewards of their community,” she said. “This station is so simple, people see it, they get it right away, and it’s a prompt to remind people that it is so easy to do something so good and so important for our ocean, for our sound and for our harbor.”
Kassay added they are planning on bringing two more stations to other beaches in the village.
County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) said the stations will be great for children to learn how important it is to keep the beaches clean.
“I think it’s great for families, cleaning up a beach, cleaning up a park — its instant gratification for the kids that are participating, it shows them the impact they can make right then and there.”
Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) applauded the groups for bringing the baskets in.
“I think that this is really great leadership from the village in setting up this kind of thing, and helping to show people ways that we can change our own behavior,” he said.
The first station at Centennial Beach has been sponsored by the Fox and Owl Inn — which Kassay owns. Relic said they are continuously looking for sponsors for the other baskets that will soon pop up.
Relic also sells organic apparel that gives back to local waters. For every T-shirt sold, they plant five oysters back into Moriches Bay.
The clothing items are available at relic-design.com.
To celebrate Earth Day April 22, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) announced a new initiative that will keep local beaches clean.
The elected officials gathered at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai that morning to unveil its new beach cleanup baskets, in which the town has partnered with Long Island-based nonprofit Relic Sustainability.
The group, from Remsenburg on the South Shore, collaborated with the town due to Relic’s Coastal Collaborative project, which encompasses seven preexisting stations across Long Island.
“Our goal is to collaborate the town, businesses and community members to collaborate in combating beach pollution that is a growing issue on the coast line of Long Island,” said Alex Kravitz, COO of Relic.
The stations give beachgoers the opportunity to take a basket on the beach, pick up trash and deposit it into a trash receptacle.
“What better way to celebrate Earth Day?” Romaine said. “The baskets are 100% recycled plastics. You pick one up, walk along the beach, pick up some garbage and put the baskets back. … We want this in all of our town beaches and we want to keep them clean.”
While Relic Sustainability has seven stations, Cedar Beach is the first in the Town of Brookhaven to utilize its concept.
Aiden Kravitz, CEO of the nonprofit, said the goal is to reach even more beaches.
“By the end of the summer, we’re hoping to have a bigger partnership with the county with 40 to 50 stations,” he said. “The goal of the program is to help relieve the pressure of trash on the beaches by stimulating voluntary trash pickup from the community. We view the heart of the program as a collaborative between the town, ourselves, local businesses and the community members — everybody plays a role.”
Bonner said she was excited for the new initiative because of the “tremendous garbage problem, not only on Long Island, but in the United States.”
“I cannot think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than to launch a program that addresses the litter that plagues all of our beaches,” she said. “I encourage people who come to Cedar Beach to use one of the baskets and pick up litter before they leave for home. It’s something we can all do to advocate for a better environment.”
Relic also sells organic apparel that gives back to local waters. For every T-shirt sold, they plant five oysters back into Moriches Bay.
The clothing items are available at relic-design.com.
The community came together to make sure the Village of Port Jefferson’s shoreline is squeaky clean.
Hometown Hope, a local nonprofit made up of local residents who love, support and want to do good within the village, hosted its first annual beach cleanup event at all Port Jefferson-area beaches.
On Sunday, April 18, more than 200 volunteers, in conjunction with Sea Tow, Sheep Pasture Landscaping and Maggio Environmental, gathered (safely with masks) at the private beaches outlining Port Jeff. Starting at Centennial Beach, through Belle Terre Beach, McCallister Park, West Beach and East Beach, families and local groups gloved up to fill dozens of garbage bags on the warm and sunny day.
Diane Tafuro, a board member with Hometown Hope, said creating an event like this was a “no brainer.”
“We’re trying to get back to the community and keep our beaches clean,” she said. “Which is one of the best things about Port Jefferson village.”
Tafuro said this isn’t just a one-time thing the group plans to do.
With the mission statement to provide and connect resources and support in times of need to all Port Jeff Village residents by promoting a movement of spreading kindness. Hometown Hope strives to uplift through wellness, resilience and compassionate understanding within the community.
The local Cub Scout troop took one section, while varsity athletes cleaned up East Beach. There, they found a large, heavy tire filled with sand.
“This is exactly the type of thing why we love to live here,” Mayor Margot Garant said. “Our community comes together, and they teach their kids to start loving the place that they live … That’s why we call ourselves Port Jeff Strong.”
To find out more about Hometown Hope visit their website at hometownhopepj.org.
On Sunday, April 18 at 9 a.m., local nonprofit Hometown Hope —in conjunction with Seatow, Sheep Pasture Landscaping and Maggio Environmental — will be hosting a beach cleanup event at all Port Jefferson-area beaches.
Volunteers will be dispersed across Centennial Beach, Belle Terre Beach, McCallister Park, West and East Beach.
Grab a mask and some gloves and come help keep the local beaches beautiful.
Hometown Hope Port Jefferson provides and connects resources and support in times of need to all Port Jefferson village residents by promoting a movement of spreading kindness.
Hometown Hope strives to uplift through wellness, resilience and compassionate understanding within the community.
To find out more about Hometown Hope, or to sign up for the upcoming beach cleanup, visit their website at hometownhopepj.org.
