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Community Corner

Beach Sweeps Set Throughout County Saturday

Clean Ocean Action's twice-yearly event is in its 28th year and still welcoming volunteers young and old

Another summer has come and gone, filled with days of laughter, sunshine and relaxation at the beach.

While the parties have gone, the reminders of them -- caps from water bottles and soda, straws from drinks, and hundreds of other bits of debris -- remain behind.

This Saturday, hundreds of volunteers will be hitting the state's beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May to pick up plastics, Styrofoam, cans and much more, left behind by humans and the tides, as part of Clean Ocean Action's fall Beach Sweeps event.

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Since the first sweeps in 1985, more than 90,000 volunteers have participated in the now twice-yearly event, picking up more than 4.5 million bits of trash and debris.

While the nature of that debris has changed as the times have changed -- cigarette butts have dropped out of the top three items, but plastic bottle tops, which were far more rare in the 1980s, have surged into their place -- the need for awareness has not, Clean Ocean Action says.

Find out what's happening in Laceywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Fish, whales, birds, and other animals often mistake litter for food," the group says on its information page about the beach sweeps. "As a result, animals get entangled in, or ingest, items such as plastic bags, cigarette filters, and fishing line, with deadly results."

Groups of 10 or more are urged to register in advance before participating in the sweeps, but all volunteers are welcome even on the day of the sweeps, Clean Ocean Action says.

The sweeps begin with check-in at 9 a.m. and run until approximately 12:30 p.m., rain or shine. Volunteers will be provided trash bags and data cards to record the litter they pick up, which goes into the group's database and its yearly report.

Volunteers are reminded to dress for the weather and bring gloves to protect themselves from sharp objects during the cleanup.

Nearly 60 sites, statewide, are scheduled for clean-ups, also including:

OCEAN COUNTY

Bay Head: Central Market at Rt 35 & Mount St

Beachwood: Public Beach, Compass Ave

Brick: Brick Beach III on Rt 35 North, next to Ocean Club and across from Bayside Park

Lakewood: Lake Carasaljo, meet across from St. Mary's Church on Rt 9

Lavallette: Philadelphia Ave beach

Long Beach Island: Alliance For a Living Ocean Office; 1101 Central Avenue, Suite A, Ship Bottom, NJ

Mantoloking: Lyman Ave Beach

Normandy Beach: Meet at Labrador Lounge at Peterson St & Rt 35 North

Ocean Gate: Wildwood Ave Pier

Seaside Heights: Grant Avenue on the Boardwalk

Seaside Park (4 sites): 1. Stockton Ave on the boardwalk; 2. Second Avenue; 3. Midway Beach at 6th Lane; 4. Island Beach State Park, Bathing Pavilion #1

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

South Amboy: 1. Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (for more information contact Scott Meyler (732) 745-3064 2. Fisherman's Parking Lot

ATLANTIC COUNTY

Atlantic City: Missouri Avenue Beach; Press Event/Rally will be held on the boardwalk.

Atlantic City: Caspian Ave. and N. Maine

Brigantine: 17th St. Beach, South

Egg Harbor Twp.: Longport Dog/Malibu Beach

Longport: 33rd & Atlantic Ave. Beach

Margate: Granville Ave. Beach

Oceanville: Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, *October 27, 2012* Visitors Center

Ventnor: Newport Ave. Beach

MONMOUTH COUNTY

Aberdeen: Fisherman's Parking Lot at Cliffwood Beach

Allenhurst: Euclid Ave.

Asbury Park: (2 Sites) 1.  Convention Hall at the Boardwalk  2.  North Beach (meet at the dirt lot near Asbury Towers)

Atlantic Highlands: Harbor parking lot on First Ave.

Avon: Pavilion at Norwood & Ocean Aves.

Belmar: (2 Sites) 1. Belmar Fishing Club, First Ave. Beach (2) 16th Avenue Beach

Bradley Beach: Gazebo at 5th & Ocean Aves. 

Deal: Philips Ave. Beach

Highlands: (2 sites) 1. Popamore Point on Shore Drive 2. Snug Harbor Ave. Beach (behind Community Center)

Keansburg: Laurel & Beachway Aves.

Keyport:  Cedar Street (First Street at waterfront)

Long Branch: Pier Village, meet at public access at Melrose Terrace and Ocean Ave.

Manasquan: Main Street beach

Middletown (3 sites): 1. Leonardo Public Beach South at Beach Ave.; 2. Ideal Beach at Ocean Ave. & Bayside Pkwy.; 3. Bayshore Waterfront Park meet at Fishing Pier

Monmouth Beach: Bathing Pavilion at 29 Ocean Ave.

Ocean Grove: Main St. Beach; Meet at Flagpole

Red Bank: Riverside Gardens Park

Sandy Hook: Parking Lot D (Seagulls' Nest Restaurant) -

Sea Bright (4 sites): 1. Ferguson Beach, north of Rumson/Sea Bright Bridge; 2. Meet at Gaiter's Restaurant Oceanside; 3. Meet at Algarve Milano oceanside 4. Meet at Public Beach parking lot

Sea Girt: Boardwalk at Beacon Blvd

Spring Lake: South End Pavilion at Atlantic & Ocean Aves

Union Beach: Florence Ave at Front St

CAPE MAY COUNTY

Cape May (3 sites): 1. Nature Center of Cape May (1600 Delaware Ave.) 2. 2nd Ave. Beach 3. The Nature Conservancy's South Cape May Meadows

North Wildwood: 15th Ave. at Beach Patrol Building

Ocean City (2 sites): 1. 9th St. Music Pier  2. 57th St. Beach

Strathmere: Webster Ave. Beach

Stone Harbor: 95th St. Beach

Wildwood: Poplar Ave. Beach

Wildwood Crest: Centennial Park (Ocean Ave. & Fern Rd.)

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