September 11, 1998
Contact: Anne Donovan
(617) 727-9530, x411

Governor Paul Cellucci today honored nine groups and individuals for their 10 years of dedicated service as local COASTSWEEP coordinators, noting their commitment to a clean environment and to the overall quality of life for the families of the Commonwealth. COASTSWEEP is the annual statewide beach cleanup organized by Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

"Through their tireless efforts, these hard working volunteers have not only demonstrated their commitment to clean and safe beaches, but to creating a better quality of life for the citizens of Massachusetts who use these beaches for recreation and relaxation," said Cellucci.

Thousands of volunteers turn out every year to remove trash from the hundreds of miles of Massachusetts coastline at almost 100 cleanup sites. COASTSWEEP relies on volunteers and sponsors for its success. Each cleanup is organized by a local coordinator who spends hours gathering supplies, publicizing the event and making sure that the cleanup occurs without a hitch.

"Without the leadership demonstrated by these dedicated local coordinators, COASTSWEEP would be impossible," said Trudy Coxe, Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. "It is wonderful to see such hard working and committed environmental volunteers."

The 10-year veterans on hand to receive their awards were:

• Nancy Kramer - Nantasket Beach, Hull
  
• North Falmouth Village Association, Jean Work - North Falmouth Beaches
  
• Cyd Raschke and Trish Walker - Plum Island
  
• The Cape Cod Salties, Frank Stoddard and Bill St. Louis - Cape Cod Canal
  
• Battelle, Joan Sundstrom - Duxbury Beach
  

In addition, these groups and individuals were unable to attend, but were also honored:

• Mike Magnifico - Salisbury Beach Reservation
  
• Westport River Watershed Alliance, Dee Morris - Westport beaches
  
• Citizens for the Protection of Waquoit Bay, Jayne Abbott - Washburn Island
  
• Monument Beach Civic Association, Russell Cookingham and Dick Prince - Monument Beach
  

"I would like to thank all of our local COASTSWEEP coordinators for their tremendous hard work to make these cleanups a reality," said Peg Brady, CZM Director. "It is great to work with these people every year and to be reminded how much people out there care about their beaches and coastal waters."

"I would really like to thank everyone who has participated in the cleanup of Hull beaches and coastline," said Nancy Kramer, local cleanup coordinator in Hull and 10-year COASTSWEEP veteran. "People from all over the South Shore and beyond have participated in the last 10 years, recording information on data cards to help identify pollution sources."

Each 10-year veteran was awarded a certificate of appreciation signed by Governor Paul Cellucci, along with a $100 award provided by BankBoston.

"Keeping our beaches, coastline, and harbor clean and inviting is both an economic necessity and a public priority," said Ira Jackson, Executive Vice President at BankBoston. "All of us need to realize that it is a privilege to live in an area where resources are so accessible to residents and visitors, and that we all bear some responsibility for keeping the marine environment clean. BankBoston has a history of supporting causes similar to this one, such as the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Partnership, that help preserve our natural resources. We are pleased to provide volunteer support to COASTSWEEP '98 through our Eagle Corps Employee Volunteer Program as well as other in-kind assistance."

COASTSWEEP is also part of an International Beach Cleanup Program sponsored by the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) in Washington, DC. Thirty-four U.S. states and territories and more than 30 nations participate worldwide. The data collected during the cleanups are sent CMC and entered into a massive marine debris data base. This information is used to identify the sources of marine debris to help prevent the problem in the future.

COASTSWEEP sponsors are critical to the effort's success. Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management, along with organizing the statewide effort, provides COASTSWEEP posters, flyers, and buttons. For the third year, BankBoston is a major COASTSWEEP sponsor, providing posters to advertise COASTSWEEP as well as 2,000 t-shirts for cleanups of Boston-area beaches. BankBoston employees are also expected to help with cleanups throughout the state. The MBTA donated 200 spaces for COASTSWEEP posters on the T. BritaTM Products Company is also on board this year as a major sponsor of the International Coastal Cleanup Day. Each cleanup volunteer will receive a coupon for a free BritaTM Water Filtration Pitcher and Brita is providing promotional support for the event. WBOS 92.9 FM provides publicity support and will be playing live music at the COASTSWEEP kickoff at Revere Beach. Quest Diagnostics and Tronex Healthcare Industries provided several thousand gloves for COASTSWEEP volunteers this year. The Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts/Boston helps to publicize the cleanups as part of the overall Coastweeks effort. The New England Aquarium and the Museum of Fine Arts-Boston donated free passes for prizes. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management and the Metropolitan District Committee also help coordinate cleanups at their beaches. Finally, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration help to fund the effort.