Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Set for Great American Cleanup

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful is joining the cause for a cleaner country with 40 locations lined up for the Greater Amerian Cleanup on April 21, including eight locations in the Greater Brandon area (see chart below).

Volunteers will be put to work at local cleanup sites throughout Hillsborough County, said Patricia DePlasco, community education liaison with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

DePlasco’s nonprofit organization is responsible for a number of environmental projects throughout the year, with this Saturday's effort one of the largest.

According to an online report posted by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, more than 10,400 volunteers in 2011 picked up 110,913 pounds of trash and recyclables from March through May.

This year again, “we need our volunteers to come out and clean up the mess that’s already out there," DePlasco said. "Hopefully, they’ll learn from it and be advocates for us.”

Hillsborough County has taken part in the national cleanup event for more than 20 years, DePlasco said. Keep America Beautiful has been sponsoring the work day for 28 years.

While many volunteer locations in Hillsborough are already filled, DePlasco said there are still plenty that can use extra hands.

“Everyone is welcome,” said Daisy Parker, the environmental program coordinator with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

Parker said the cleanup and other events like it are important for the Tampa Bay area.

“Community improvement efforts such as this provide a sense of pride in where we live, improve the local economy, protect our wildlife from entanglements and raise awareness on the harmful effects of litter,” she said.

______________

Hillsborough County Great American Cleanup Sites

Below is a list of the 40 sites for this year's Great American Cleanup in Hillsborough County. Check online to determine which sites are closed and which sites still need volunteers. For more detailed information, including details about the After Trash Beach Bash and Skipper's Friend Raiser partys, as well as the Tropical Nights Gala Fundraiser, click here.

GREATER BRANDON LOCATIONS Alafia River State Park Lithia Brandon Recreation Center Brandon Ed Medard Park Plant City English Creek Plant City Evans Park Seffner Heather Lakes Road Brandon Riverview Civic Center Riverview Dover Park Dover OTHER LOCATIONS Apollo Beach Nature Preserve Apollo Beach Gardenville Recreation Center Gibsonton Brooker Creek Headwaters Preserve Lutz MacDill Air Force Base MacDill AFB Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve Ruskin Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Ruskin E.G. Simmons Ruskin Waverly Park Tampa Al Lopez Park Tampa Copeland Park Tampa Courtney Campbell Causeway Tampa Cypress Point Park Tampa David Island Sea Plane Basin Tampa Florida State Fairgrounds (Orient Road) Tampa Gaither High School Tampa Gandy Bridge Tampa Lake Magdalene Elementary Tampa Lowry Park Boat Ramp Tampa McKay Bay Bike Trail East Tampa Perrone Park Tampa Picnic Island Park Tampa Rocky Creek Trails Tampa Rowlett Park Tampa Stewart Middle Magnet School Tampa University Area Community Center Tampa Upper Tampa Bay Park Tampa Yellow Jackets Baseball Field Tampa Orient Park Tampa Baybrooks Temple Terrace Rotary Park Temple Terrace Hillsborough River State Park Thonotosassa Thonotosassa Regional Park Thonotosassa
Source: Keep America Beautiful

______________

Patch Associate Regional Editor Sherri Lonon contributed to this report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skippers Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Rd., plans to host a “Friend Raising Concert” to benefit Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful on April 22 – the day after the Great American Cleanup.

The concert runs from 5 to 9 p.m. with such bands as Coo Coo Ca Choo and The Groves on tap to play. The cost is a $10 donation at the door with proceeds going to Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.