Local groups to participate in Michigan Coastal Cleanup on Keweenaw beaches Sept. 15-16 (Updated Sept. 13)*

AHMEEK -- It's time for the annual Michigan Coastal Cleanup (MCC), which is part of an international effort to pick up trash from the world's shorelines. The MCC, coordinated locally by the North Woods Conservancy (Jane Griffith, 337-0782) will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15, and Sunday, Sept. 16, at several local beaches. Not only is trash removed but the types and amounts are tallied, yielding important information about litter sources and resulting in things like the bottle recycling/refund law.

Jane Griffith, left, of North Woods Conservancy and her daughter Kate collect trash and record numbers of items for the Keweenaw beaches' tally at Seven Mile Point during the 2005 Michigan Coastal Cleanup. (Photo © 2005 John Griffith and courtesy North Woods Conservancy)

Many individuals and groups have cleaned up certain beaches for years. Here is a list with the beach captains and phone numbers you can call for details if you would like to participate: Trout Unlimited and Keweenaw County (Mouth of the Gratiot River County Park -- Jim Baker, TU); the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (Bete Grise South and Dan's Point -- Sue Haralson, 482-0214)*; Hunter's Point and Porter's Island (Gale and Fred Jamsen, 289-4296); Michigan Nature Association (Black Creek Preserve -- Jim Ziemnick, 337-1332); Gratiot Lake Conservancy (Gratiot Lake -- Bonnie Hay, 337-5476); the Seven Mile Point Property Owner's Association (Seven Mile Bay -- private); and of course the North Woods Conservancy (Seven Mile Point -- Sandy Britton, 337-2881; Gratiot River North -- Jane Griffith, 337-0782).

*The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District will sponsor two beach cleanups: From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 15, they will be picking trash at the Schoolcraft Township Day Park at Big Traverse. On Sunday, Sept. 16, also from 9 a.m. to noon, they will start at the Bete Grise Preserve on the Gay/Lac La Belle Road around 9 a.m. and then pick up trash at Bete Grise North followed by the Lizzadro Preserve (Dan's Point).

Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District volunteers collect trash at Bete Grise South during the 2005 Coastal Cleanup. Pictured are, back row: Sue Haralson (standing, left), Eloise Haller, Virginia Jamison, Anita Campbell, Glenda Campbell, Bruce Wagner; front row: Nick Wilson and Dorothy Jamison. (Photo © 2005 and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

Be sure to contact the listed "Beach Captain" to find out when and where to meet (dates and times may vary). Other groups and any interested parties are encouraged to "adopt" favorite public beaches in Houghton or Keweenaw County (or private beaches, if you own it or have permission).

Areas in need of "adoption" include (clockwise around the Keweenaw): Stanton Park, Freda, The Sands (North Entry), McLain State Park, Calumet Waterworks Park, Eagle River, Great Sand Bay, Eagle Harbor, Horseshoe Harbor, High Rock Bay, Keystone Point, Point Isabelle, Oliver Bay, South Entry, Portage Lake, Torch Lake, or ANY OTHER BEACH in Houghton or Keweenaw County.

If you'd like to be a Beach Captain for a new site, or do a "solo cleanup" yourself at a small site, you can sign up and pick up the needed materials (trash tally forms, pencils, rubber gloves, special coastal cleanup garbage bags) at the Ahmeek Streetcar Station (four miles north of Calumet on US 41) Monday through Friday (Sept. 10-14) from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., or Sunday, Sept. 9, from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

*Update: Materials are available at the Streetcar Station this coming weekend, too: from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16.

"Many people who do areas in Keweenaw County drop by the Station the morning of their cleanup to pick up the materials, then do their cleanup, then drop the completed forms back the same day (saves making an extra trip if you are driving by anyway)," said John Griffith.

Completed forms can be dropped off at the Streetcar Station or mailed to the North Woods Conservancy (PO Box 124, Calumet, MI 49913).

According to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the 2006 Adopt-a-Beach Volunteers for Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan collected 19,645 pounds of trash. The Top Trash Collected included 159,426 Smoking-Related Items; 109,014 Food-Related Items; and 7,570 Balloons.*

Its fun to spend a few hours outdoors on the lakeshore, and just think – with enough people, we could cover the entire shoreline of the Keweenaw! Please call the North Woods Conservancy (Jane or John Griffith 337-0782) if you have any questions or need more information.

*See the 2007 Adopt-a-Beach Newsletter for details.