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Volunteers sought for the 13th annual Lahaina Town Clean Up on Saturday

By Staff | Sep 14, 2017

The Lahaina Town Clean Up has taken place for 12 years in collaboration with Malama Maui Nui, Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua and local surf schools and businesses. The event is one of the largest and most successful ongoing town cleanups in Hawaii, with over two tons of rubbish being collected to date.

LAHAINA – Volunteers are needed for the 13th annual Lahaina Town Clean Up on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Last year, more than 500 volunteers participated in the event, cleaning from Puamana to Mala Wharf and everywhere in between.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. at Kamehameha Iki Park at 525 Front St. in Lahaina, with coffee and breakfast snacks provided by Ruth’s Chris Steak House as instructions and equipment are distributed to participants.

The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch for volunteers donated by Pacific’O and water provided by Tropic Water.

The 13th annual Lahaina Town Clean Up is supported by Malama Maui Nui’s “Get the Drift and Bag It!” campaign in conjunction with The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Day.

“Get the Drift and Bag It!” is an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to join in a global effort to remove litter and debris from our coastal environment.

The statewide campaign is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup that kicks off annually on the third Saturday in September.

The ICC engages hundreds of thousands of volunteers each year to take action for the ocean and for the creatures that depend on it – including humans.

Over its 30 years of existence, approximately 10.5 million people have picked up some 192 million pounds of litter across more than 150 countries.

By participating in the Lahaina Town Clean Up, volunteers can make a difference, right here in their own community.

Lahaina Town Clean Up founder Matt Lane has challenged this year’s organizers to address prevention as a focus of the cleanup.

“To work toward accomplishing this goal, we are partnering with the County of Maui to place an emphasis on prevention as a means to combat the issue of waste showing up in our oceans through our drains. Volunteers will be stenciling awareness messages of ‘No Dumping Drains to Ocean’ at storm drain inlets in Lahaina,” said Ashley Roussel, one of the event organizers and stencil project chairperson.

Cleanup volunteers are requested to download and utilize the Clean Swell App to keep track of the debris removed during the cleanup. This data will be added to the International Coastal Cleanup’s marine debris database.

Results from the data help inform policy and debris removal efforts. Data cards will also be made available if needed, and they must be turned in at the end of the cleanup.

“We are excited to encourage this event as zero waste,” said Tambara Garrick, one of the event organizers and Hawaii regional sales manager for Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

“The surf schools are donating ti leaves and compostable plates for the lunch, which is generously donated by Pacific’O. Ace Hardware is donating reusable gloves and equipment, and Maui Brewing Co. is providing grain bags that can be washed and reused for future cleanup events,” Garrick continued.

“Tropic Water will have a water station so that volunteers can refill their reusable water bottles with cold water. These are just some of the examples of businesses coming together in support of this event and in giving back to the Lahaina community, hand in hand with community volunteers.”

Event sponsors and volunteer teams include Down the Hatch, Maui Surf Clinics, Volcom, LahainaTown Action Committee, Malama Maui Nui, Ace Hardware, Lahaina Yacht Club, County of Maui, Maui Surfrider Foundation, Lahaina Sunset Rotary, Trilogy, West Maui Parasail, Island Star Excursions, Hui O Wa’a Kaulua, Makai Adventures, The Coffee Store Napili, Maui Brewing Co., The Block, UFO Parasail, Goofy Foot Surf School, Beach Bum’s Island Grill, Peter Lik Gallery and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own water bottle and gloves to the event.

For more information, go to www.visitlahaina.com or call (808) 269-8457.

Additional events will be held around Maui as part of the International Coastal Cleanup and “Get the Drift and Bag It!”

West Maui Kumuwai will host a cleanup at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at Mala Wharf (see page 2).

Malama Maui Nui will hold a cleanup on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Kahului Harbor small boat ramp. Register to participate by calling 877-2524 or visiting www.MalamaMauiNui.org.

And Maui Brewing Company will host a cleanup across South Maui beaches from 7 to 11 a.m. on Saturday.

MBC is looking for 45 volunteers, preferably in teams of three, for the upcoming cleanup. Bags, trash pickers, gloves and instructions on entering the data of items collected will be provided on Saturday morning at MBC’s brewery at 605 Lipoa Parkway in Kihei at 7 a.m.

Those who participate will receive a bracelet to get $4 beers at either Maui location and 25 percent off food at the West Maui pub between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 following the event.

To volunteer, contact pr@maui brewingco.com or call (808) 213-3002, extension 115, to register.