Annual Broward Waterways Cleanup Working
Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 6, 2010 – The 33rd Annual Waterway Cleanup in Broward County on Saturday drew strong community support, but even more important was the finding that the amount of debris to be picked up continues to decrease, officials said.
More than 1,800 volunteers working on land and on 117 boats helped to pull 15 tons of trash from 25 sites within Broward’s waterways, rivers and canals. Last year, more than 2,000 volunteers collected more than 41 tons of trash.
Along with continued strong community support, this year’s event, organized by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), drew support from many local officials. Among local officials was Vice Mayor Sue Gunzuburger, who presented the inaugural Year-Round Environmental Stewardship Award to Broward resident Arnaldo Coreia.
“It is largely due to the efforts of individuals like Arnie, as well as service groups and organizations that help clean up our waterways year-round, that we are able to celebrate the fact that we see fewer and fewer tons of trash removed from our waterways each year,” said Gordon Connell, MIASF’s director of Association Services.
Other local officials on hand included Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, who provided details about the cleanup site at Lauderdale Isles, where he, his daughter and his niece had volunteered that morning to help remove a 22-foot vessel from the water.
The MIASF is a not-for-profit trade organization created in 1961 to promote and protect the sound growth of the marine industry in South Florida for the benefit and education of its members, the community and the environment. The Association has 800 members in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties and is the owner of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
