GLIN==> Wisconsin Beach Sweep opportunities

["Olson, Travis" <Travis.Olson@doa.state.wi.us>]

Title: Wisconsin Beach Sweep opportunities

Did you know September is Wisconsin Coastal Awareness Month?  Did you know that there is an awesome event to celebrate and protect Wisconsin's beautiful coasts through cleaning-up local lakes, river and streams? Wisconsin Coastal Management Program WCMP is coordinating the 2005 Wisconsin Beach Sweep and will partner with your group or organization to make your local even easy and enjoyable.

This beach cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), a worldwide event coordinated each year in September by the Ocean Conservancy.  The ICC has been collecting data from debris collected on beaches and waterways since 1986.  Wisconsin has been participating in the Great Lakes Region ICC since 1989.  Below is an easy six-step process created by WCMP to help jump-start your event: 

• Step 1.   Let us know you are interested in coordinating a cleanup in your area.  The International Coastal Cleanup is Saturday, September 17^th, but if this date does not work for you, you can choose any date up to mid-October for your event.
• Step 2.  Review the Beach Sweep Prep-Pak we will send you.  This Pak includes a Beach Sweep training video, fact sheets, media ideas, a press release, and posters.
• Step 3.  Start getting the word out to volunteers.  Gather your event coordinators (Beach Captains), and train them using the provided training material.  Round up you cleanup volunteers (Beach Sweepers), to help you sweep the beaches clean.
• Step 4.  Let us know the name of the area you'll clean up and the estimated number of sweepers and captains that will attend. We'll prepare and deliver a Beach Sweep Supply Kit that contains garbage bag, gloves, pencils, data cards, marker flags and a variety of other essential items at no cost to you.
• Step 5.  Plan for a wonderful day on the shores of Lake Michigan, Superior, or other body of water you are protecting on your chosen date and sweep the beaches clean.
• Step 6.  Send your data cards and event summary to Kae DonLevy by October 12, 2005.  We will return a preliminary summary on Wisconsin's Beach Sweep to your group in November 2005.

That's it.  We supply the know-how and supplies and you supply the location and volunteers.  What could be easier and more important than celebrating Wisconsin Coastal Awareness Month by cleaning up her waterways?

To enroll, please either call Kae DonLevy at (414) 276-7700 or email the Sign me Up form available at http://coastal.wisconsin.gov (under Coastal Awareness Month) to Kae at kdonlevy@pierwisconsin.org, by August 31, 2005.

We look forward to helping you organize a cleanup in your area!  Thank you for your interest and participation in the 2005 Wisconsin Beach Sweep.