Start the New Year With a Beach Cleanup

Marco Island’s wide, pristine beaches are world-famous and enjoyed by both residents and visitors. It is also an active habitat for many endangered species, such as the loggerhead sea turtles and assorted species of migratory birds. 

The monthly beach cleanup organized through the Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee (BACR) is an all-volunteer effort with monthly sponsors from the local businesses on Marco Island. It started way back in 2011 as part of the Beach Stewardship Program. Many businesses, residents, and visitors “give back” by sponsoring a monthly beach cleanup, including Coastal Breeze News, who along with the Marco Island Academy Key Club co-sponsor, head to the beach on Saturday, January 18, for the first sponsored beach cleanup of the year. 

Coastal Breeze News is an award-winning weekly community newspaper serving Marco Island, Goodland, Isles of Capri, East Naples, and Everglades City (and everywhere in between!)   

Coastal Breeze News is locally owned and operated. According to Carolyn Nolte, CEO of the Florida Press Association, “Local newspapers play a critical role in our communities, making us all stronger and more engaged citizens. Newspapers are dedicated to keeping you informed. Whether it is a local issue or a worldwide pandemic, they are there to provide consistent news coverage that you can trust.”  

In 2023, the Association of Community Publishers honored Coastal Breeze News publisher Val Simon by selecting her for the organization’s Publisher of the Year Award. The ACP represents publishers of free-circulation, community publications across the United States that reach millions of readers on a weekly, biweekly and monthly basis. The organization’s membership ranges from independently owned publications with circulations of less than 5,000 to divisions of major communications companies. This month, Coastal Breeze News will be celebrating 15 years as the only locally owned newspaper in the area. 

A special thanks to the 2024 Beach Cleanup sponsors: Marco Island Academy Key Club; Marco Island Civic Association (MICA); Our Daily Bread Food Pantry; GETCATFIT and Ace Painting LLC; Marco Island Watersports; Chamber of Commerce; Marco Island Woman’s Club; Marco Island Area Association of Realtors, America’s Boating Club, and Marco Island Sports Fishing Club. 

Save the Date: January 18, 2025, South Beach from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The Beach Committee will be providing buckets, grabbers, and gloves. Bring your friends and family members, and let’s gather at South Beach to keep 

Marco’s Beach pristine and safe for all.