More than 50 volunteers in Stratford’s Lordship community Saturday morning (April 27, 2024) took garbage bags and community spirit down the Bluffs path to Russian Beach to comb winter debris from this stretch of shore on Long Island Sound.
Among the volunteers were families, singles, couples, friends, students earning community service hour credits – and, of course, the “regulars” who walk the beach daily, picking up litter left by tides and rude visitors.
There were grumbles about the litterers and partyers who leave charred and garbagy messes, but overall, the feeling was upbeat under the sunny sky. Even a giant horseshoe crab seemed trying to join in, but was pointed back to the inviting salt water.
The event was sponsored by the Lordship Improvement Association (LIA), supporting the town of Stratford’s annual Greensweep event cleaning up the banks of the town’s rivers and shore.
“The positive attitudes of participants – young and old – was acknowledged by sunny weather and community spirit,” notes Christine Griffin, who organized the Lordship event and is also chair of the LIA’s Education and Environment Committee.
“The Lordship community not only supported nature with our Earth Day/Greensweep cleanup, but also enjoyed meeting neighbors who worked to sustain our beautiful environment,” she adds.
The LIA supplied Grabber tools (for non-bending trash pickup) and greatly appreciates the town’s support in supplying gloves, plastic bags for the beachcombing, and pickup of the bags. Thanks also to the resident with a pickup truck who collected the first batch of filled bags.
Most of all – THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS!
For many more photos, visit: https://bit.ly/RussianBeachCleanup
Bravo!