PRESS
RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September
11, 2008
LAKE ERIE COMMUNITIES ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE
IN UPCOMING COASTWEEKS
EVENTS
Beach cleanups slated for Saturday, September 13 and Monday, September
15
TOLEDO, OH
– Lake Erie and its watershed is a
precious resource for Ohioans. The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is encouraging its
residents and shoreline communities to help with projects aimed at cleaning up
recreational areas along Lake Erie as part of
the Coastweeks 2008 observance,
September 12-21. Coastweeks 2008
gives all of us the opportunity to celebrate, educate and participate in
protecting Ohio’s Great Lake.
The Commission is Ohio’s
coordinator for the Coastweeks program, which is part of an annual nationwide
effort to educate the public about protecting coastlines around the
country. In Ohio, the focus is cleanup
events along Lake Erie’s shoreline and
within its watershed.
A
total of ten cleanup events are scheduled along Lake Erie in the next two weeks
beginning this weekend on Saturday, September 13 along Maumee
Bay and seven locations near and
around the Ottawa River and Swan Creek areas in northwest Ohio,
as well as sites in Crawford County and Magee Marsh in Oak Harbor.
Additional beach cleanups are slated for the following weekend as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day on
Saturday, September 20 which includes five locations along the Lake Erie shoreline
including Mentor Lagoons, Arcola Creek, Old Woman Creek, East Harbor
State Park and Sheldon
Marsh Nature Preserve.
Visit
the Commission Web Site for all up-to-date cleanup information and to contact
the individual coordinator for the cleanup of your choice at http://www.epa.state.oh.us/oleo/cw/events08.html
Upcoming Coastweeks 2008 Events
Include:
Saturday, September 13
8 a.m. – 12th Annual Clean Your Streams Day! Are you tried of seeing
trash along our streams? Volunteer at one of seven locations to remove litter
and see what you can find. Volunteers will receive cleanup information at the
site selected, you must attend the 8:30 a.m. orientation to receive your
cleanup location assignment. Locations choices are: Highland Park Shelter
House, 1865 Finch St, Toledo; Olander Park Shelter House, 6930 Sylvania Ave., University
of Toledo Library, Toledo; Ottawa Park Shelter House, 2200 Kenwood Blvd,
Toledo; Washington Township Fire Station, 2469 Shoreland Ave, Toledo; Oregon
Municipal Bldg, 5330 Seaman Rd, Oregon; or Lake Township Friendship Park
Shelter House, 27975 Cummings Rd, Millbury, OH. Additional information can be
found at http://www.PartnersForCleanStreams.org
Your watershed will be cleaner and healthier with your effort! Come out
and make a big difference!
9:00 a.m. Crawford
County River
Clean Sweep! Clean litter from
waterways and calling attention to the importance of clean water. Be part of
the solution and not the pollution and help Lake Erie
and its watershed! Meet at one of the following locations: Aumiller Park,
Bucyrus; Harmon Field, Bucyrus; Kelly Park, Crestline; Heilse Park,
Gallon; Sandusky Wildlife Area, River
Road, Bucyrus. For more details or directions
contact: bfisher@crawfordparkdistrict.org
or call 419-683-9000.
10 a.m. – Maumee Bay
State Park! Last year 315
pounds of uninvited items were picked up and hauled away. Come out and make a
difference. Meet at Maumee
Bay Nature
Center, 1400 Park Rd #1, Oregon,
OH. Wear old clothes and old shoes, dress for the weather. Lunch provided for
all volunteers. Pre-registration required: Call 419-836-9117. Sponsor: Maumee Bay
State Park
10 a.m. – Magee Marsh, Oak
Harbor! Come
and make Magee Marsh beach a safer place for people and wildlife!
Meet at the wildlife beach to receive your cleanup materials. Lunch provided
for all volunteers. Pre-registration required: Call 419-898-0960 x.31 or via
email: mary.warren@dnr.state.oh.us
Sponsors: ODNR and Friends of Magee Marsh
Monday, September 15
9:00 a.m. - Put-in-Bay -
Wanted: Scuba Divers and Land Volunteers for Dive! Put-In-Bay
2008. Lots to do on the island
after a great summer. Be part of the solution by helping us clean up
Put-in-Bay's downtown harbor. Meet at the Miller Boat Line 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
located at 178 Water St
for transportation to the island. Once on the island, the island tour train
will transport volunteers to DeRivera
Park, then head for the
white gazebo where you will register and receive additional information. Last
year divers plucked nearly 1350 pounds of trash from our waters while our land
volunteers recorded what was collected. Additional info at: http://www.diveputinbay.com
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is a state
agency created to preserve Lake Erie’s
natural resources, enhance its water quality and promote economic development
in the region. The director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
serves as the commission’s chairman. Additional members include the
directors of the departments of Transportation, Development, Health, Agriculture
and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The commission oversees the
Lake Erie Protection Fund, which is the source of grant funding supported by
Ohioans each time they purchase a Lake Erie license plate displaying the
Marblehead Lighthouse or renewing their Toledo Harbor Lighthouse plate, both
designed by Ohio
artist Ben Richmond.
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For Further Information Contact:
Edwin Hammett, Ohio
Lake Erie Commission
(419) 245-2514