Beach cleanup set April 28

Volunteers are needed to sign up for the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 28, said the new Port Aransas cleanup coordinator Bruce Reynolds. Reynolds and Keep Port Aransas Beautiful (KPAB) will coordinate the event here.

Two of the 10 cleanup sites in the Coastal Bend are located in Port Aransas. The two sites being cleaned here are the beach and San Jose (St. Jo) Island. Cleanups are held rain or shine.

"I'm concerned about the lack of pre-registrants," said Reynolds. "Texas General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner Jerry Patterson will be joining us cleaning the beach in Port Aransas, and island support would be great. With this being the first time I've been in charge, I'd feel better with more people signed up. I've been told that church groups, schools, scouts and other groups are regulars, but they haven't signed up yet. These groups are needed to make the event a success, so make plans and call me," Reynolds said.

Pre-registration with Reynolds is required for those going to St. Jo Island to clean in order to receive the free fare on the Jetty Boat. Check-in for that location is at Fisherman's Wharf, 900 N. Tarpon St.

Volunteers for St. Jo need to be at the site in time to sign-in before the 8 a.m. boat leaves. The fares are being paid for by a discount from Fisherman's Wharf and with a donation by the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bureau.

The other check-in location is at Avenue G and the beach beginning at 8:30 a.m. Those checked in there will be assigned areas of Port Aransas/ Nueces County beach and the south jetty to clean.

Reynolds may be reached by calling (361) 749-0215 or by e-mailing missntexas@centurytel.net.

Volunteers from Port Aransas will be treated to a lunch at Roberts Point Park at noon courtesy of KPAB, the City of Port Aransas, Family Center IGA, Allied Waste-BFI, H-E-B, Coca- Cola Bottling, Kiwanis Club and the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi.

Volunteers will be divided into groups of three and given data cards, gloves, pencils and trash bags. All volunteers are advised to wear closed-toe shoes and bring sunscreen and plenty of drinking water.

Volunteers record data about the trash to learn more about the sources of marine debris and to help mitigate pollution along Texas' 367 miles of coastline.

This is the 21st annual all-volunteer event coordinated through the Adopt- A-Beach (AAB) program of the Texas GLO.

Texas beaches receive large amounts of marine debris due to a convergence of currents in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since 1986, more than 349,000 Texas Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have picked up more than 6,600 tons of trash along the Texas coast.

For additional information on the AAB program, visit www.texasadoptabeach. org or contact the GLO at 1-877-TX COAST.