Friends of A1A and Ocean Conservancy team up to cleanup

Palm Coast Observer
News

Flagler County coastal communities will join hundreds of thousands of people around the world for Trash Free Seas this month during the 28th-annual International Coastal Cleanup 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.

Meeting spots will be at Flagler Beach, Malacompra Beachfront Park in the Hammock, Hammock Beach at 16th Road, Jungle Hut Road, Washington Oaks State Park, the town of Marineland at GTMNERR, Varn Park, Beverly Beach and Gamble Rogers Park.

Ocean Conservancy uses the information collected during the cleanup to produce an annual snapshot of the problem of marine debris.

Sallie O’Hara, Byway Program Administrator with Friends of A1A, is organizing this year’s campaign for a third season. Friends of A1A implemented and monitors the byway Adopt a Beach program that encourages organizations and individuals to clean year round.

Over the last 27 years, Ocean Conservancy beach cleanup volunteers have collected enough cups, plates, forks, knives and spoons to host a picnic for 2 million people. Over eight million pounds of trash collected during the 2012 cleanup would cover about 170 football fields. Over 550,000 volunteers worldwide found over 10 million pounds of trash in 2012 over 20,000 miles.

“The problem of ocean trash is preventable, and keeping our ocean free from trash is one of the easiest ways we can make the ocean more resilient against other threats like climate change,” said Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. “By understanding sources of marine debris, we can work together to solve this problem. And by working together to find solutions, we will take significant steps forward in understanding and preventing ocean trash.”

To ensure supplies are plentiful at each site, pre-registration is encouraged. Bags, gloves and water will be provided courtesy of sponsors: GLAD, Coca Cola and Choose Rain. To register with Friends of A1A, email [email protected] or [email protected].

Palm Coast Woman’s Club makes changes
The Palm Coast Woman’s Club with restart its monthly meeting Friday, Sept. 20 with a new meeting place.

The group will now meet at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in the Social Room, 5400 Belle Terre Parkway at 9:30 a.m. for social time with a regular meeting starting at 10 a.m.

The group is always looking for energetic women to join.

Hadassah offers Jewish women from Muslim countries program at library
The Doug Cisney Room at the Flagler County Library was filled Tuesday with patrons interested to hear about five Jewish women born in Muslim countries tell their stories. Based on a 2003 program by the Hadassah Institute at Brandeis University, these women were portrayed by Margrit Oettinger as Eliane Markhoff, of Egypt; Judy Jellinek as Farideh Goldin, of Iran; Diane Schwalb, as Gina Waldman of Libya; Bonnie Siamon as Ruth Setton, of Morocco; and Carol Gunthorpe as Batia Shems, from Lebanon.

Refreshments were provided by the Friends of the Library and Hadassah.

Flagler Habitat to hold annual birdhouse and mailbox auction
The Flagler Habitat for Humanity will host its annual Birdhouse and Mailbox Auction Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Grand Haven Golf Club, 500 Riverfront Drive. Local artists have contributed their time and talent to provide a selection of birdhouses and mailboxes for this event. The online auction is already in full swing and may be accessed at www.flaglerhabitatauction.com.

Tickets for the auction event at Grand Haven are $40 and include one complimentary drink, hors d’oeuvres with a cash bar available. Dress is business casual. All proceeds will benefit Habitat’s mission to eliminate sub-standard housing from our community and around the world, one house, and one nail at a time.

For tickets, contact Joanna Folsom, Director of Programs, at 931-2400 or [email protected] or call the Flagler Habitat office at 586-6180. Seating is limited, but if not a sell-out, tickets will be available at the door also.