(l-r) The Kinsolving/Farrar family, the Tombari/Enright family and (not pictured) the Webel family collected the most marine debris this summer in FIConservancy’s Adopt-A-Beach competition.

FIConservancy’s first community marine debris program was a great success thanks to all who participated. We’re thrilled to announce that the Kinsolving/Farrar, Tombari/Enright and Webel families collected the most marine debris throughout the season. Please join us in celebrating these shoreline superstars!

With the help of all those who joined in, we’re off to a great start expanding our coverage and collection of marine debris, helping to protect our waters and wildlife. But this is a never-ending process.

FIConservancy has cleared and hauled away over 10 tons of marine debris in the past two years alone. We are lucky and grateful to have Michele Klimczak, FIConservancy’s Marine Debris Coordinator, clearing this pollution year-round, sorting, weighing, reusing whatever possible in creative ways and properly disposing of the rest. But Michele is just one person, and there is more shoreline to cover and more debris than she alone can collect.

We hope you’ll continue to “bring a bag” when you visit the beach anytime of year. You can reach out to Michele to coordinate pick up or label your bag (your name, date and shoreline location) and leave it in the FIConservancy truck when it’s parked by the movie theater. Michele was recently off-Island for a month and shared the following anecdote:

“While I was away, folks were texting and emailing me so I had them dump the debris into the back of the truck. When I got back, I sorted over 90 pounds of debris collected in my absence, which was the best homecoming gift!”

We’re so encouraged and heartened by this story and how the Fishers Island community comes together to make a difference. Let’s keep it up! We’re looking forward to engaging even more of our community in this effort next summer.