Beach Ambassadors seek to grow volunteers

Beach Ambassadors
Press Release
By Shari Roan
April 16, 2021

The beaches are among Florida’s most cherished natural resources. That is especially true for Amelia Island with its 13 miles of beaches and robust sand dune system. Keeping our beaches healthy and clean is not an easy task, however. That’s why, each summer, the Beach Ambassadors mobilize to tend to this precious resource. Beach Ambassadors is a volunteer organization focusing on keeping Amelia Island’s beaches clean and trash out of the ocean. Our volunteers pick up trash—bottles and caps, beach toys, balloons, paper plates, sunglasses, metal tent stakes, cigarette butts and more—one evening a week, on whatever day and whatever beach they choose, during the summer months.

We care about marine life and the health and safety of our beaches and want to prevent trash left at the end of the day from being swept out to sea. According to scores of recent scientific studies, the world’s oceans are teeming with garbage, to the clear detriment of marine life. It is our mission to keep as much plastic, glass, metal and paper out of the waters off Amelia Island as possible. We also model responsible behavior for our many tourists. (Whatever you carry to the beach, please carry it out.)

We hope to grow our volunteer ranks this summer. To join us, or for more information, contact [email protected]. You can also email us or learn more about our organization at www.ameliabeachambassadors.com. The more volunteers we have, the greater our impact.

Our mission is part of a large, growing effort to actively manage and conserve the world’s natural resources. Recently, the Florida State Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill (SB 334) that would authorize municipalities to decide whether to permit cigarette smoking on local beaches. While the future of this bill is uncertain, the trend is clear. We must do more to protect our environment from manmade destruction.

Please join us in doing our part on Amelia Island.

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Margaret Kirkland
Margaret Kirkland(@kirkland-mrk)
2 years ago

Thank you for everything this group has been doing!! It has been shocking to see what people leave on the beach for the tide to take out, especially at this point in history when we assume that everyone knows better. Great website!! I hope everyone will check it out.

Alan PERALTA
Alan PERALTA (@guest_62258)
2 years ago

I was recently at the Heugonaut Beach on the south end of the Island & was astounded by the amount of trash left on a saturday afternoon as people began leaving. Among the trash was a huge amount of cigaret filters, and stubs, some obviously from ashtrays in cars dumped out. Have a hard time understanding how people are so unaware of what they do and the impact made. Is it possible to establish signage to remind folks?