
From left: Ruth McCann, BAC Committee Chair, joins Bernardo Bezos and Ray McChesney from MICA, in the beach clean-up. PHOTOS BY JESSICA HERNSTADT
On Sunday August 23 CJ’s on the Bay was closed. But that didn’t mean owners and employees took the day off.
For the fifth year in a row, Curt and Jacquie Koon closed their restaurant for the day, so that employees and their families could volunteer with the Beach Advisory Committee’s (BAC) beach clean-up. Following the hard work, Curt and Jacquie take all employees and family members who volunteered to lunch.
“Last year 62 employees and family members came out to clean

Volunteer Marco Kircher, a CJ’s on the Bay employee, cleaning the beach.
In addition to the sixty-plus CJ’s volunteers, many members of the community pitched in.
Volunteers worked from 9-10 AM in the scorching heat, picking up garbage carelessly left by beach-goers.
Ruth McCann, BAC Committee Chair, and

Although the

Organizer Curt Koon (far left) helps volunteers at the beach clean-up.
BAC committee member Maria Lamb told us that most of the garbage is found near the trash cans. Even the smallest piece of trash has an impact on wildlife. She found many juice box straws and straw

CJ’s employee Jen Tenzek with daughter Sera, 11, cleaning South Beach.
Hopefully other local businesses will follow CJ’s example. For more information on having your business sponsor a beach clean-up event, contact Samantha Malloy, City of Marco Island Community Events Coordinator, at 239-389-3917 or smalloy@cityofmarcoisland.com. For a schedule of the beach clean-ups go to the City of Marco Island’s website at www.cityofmarcoisland.com.
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