Beach cleanup a sweeping success thanks to dedicated volunteers

The 35th annual Beach/River Sweep on Sept. 21 united thousands of volunteers across South Carolina for the state’s largest one-day cleanup. 

 

It’s been an island tradition for the last decade, but when longtime site captain Andrea Kelly stepped down, the event was left in jeopardy.

 

Time was ticking for a new site leader until Claire Law, a Daniel Island education consultant, stepped in with less than two weeks to organize. 

 

“I’m no hero here!” Law said. “When Andrea said she was ready to pass on the Beach Sweep, I offered to keep it going because I’ve done it in previous years, and cleaning up the island is so much fun.

 

Law likened the cleanup to a scavenger hunt, where the debris tells a story of how it ended up in the marshes and rivers.

 

Organized by the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Beach/River Sweep is the state’s largest one-day litter cleanup of beaches, marshes, and waterways. Since 1988, this initiative has brought together more than 150,000 volunteers who have removed more than 1,200 tons of litter throughout the years. 

 

“I was amazed at how quickly the event came together and the great response from the community,” island resident Karen DelCioppo said. 

 

The sweep attracted 49 volunteers despite its short notice, including local families and students.

 

Sweepers combed through marshes, beaches, and trails, gathering an eclectic assortment of litter, including plastic bags, bottle caps, Styrofoam pieces, and beach towels. Among the more notable finds were two fire extinguishers, a size 13 Crocs shoe, and a barnacle-covered buoy resembling a pumpkin.

 

“One family even paddled their kayak through the marsh and brought back huge bags of trash!” Law said.

 

Students from local schools, including Bishop England and Philip Simmons High Schools, earned service hours while contributing. Eight-year-old Aria Turcotte used her “eagle eyes” to spot a piece of construction pipe, while PSHS student Matea Payer appreciated learning more about the Sea Grant Consortium’s efforts as the leader of her school’s Ocean Conservation Club.

 

Law said, “It’s great to see both the young and old smile as they turn in their bags of litter with pride, as if to say, ‘There, I cleaned it up, and I will never be the one to toss a candy wrapper on the trails.’

 

“Even the smallest litter, like cigarette butts, Band-Aids, paper clips, and bottle caps, was picked up.”

 

While the consortium is still tallying this year’s collection results, Law called the sweep a success.

 

“Several kids asked me when they can do it again!” she beamed. “We told them they can clean up any day they want. The community involvement added to the enjoyment, and it was a beautiful day and low tide.”

 

First-time volunteer Adam Sachs said the event offered him a sense of fulfillment. 

 

“There’s something oddly rewarding about filling a bag with a variety of improperly disposed objects that clutter the landscape,” Sachs said. “You never really notice how much trash dots the landscape until you actually look for it.”

 

Grateful to be part of the cleanup, Law said she would love to lead again next year and reminds residents that volunteering isn’t just for one Saturday in September.

 

“No hand is too small to help keep the earth clean. Each one of us can make a difference.”