TAMPA, Fla. — Spending the Fourth of July weekend by the water was part of Jordan Jones’ plans, but he wasn’t there to lay out on the sand.
This is his first time volunteering with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful for its After the 4th Cleanup.
“This is my first time actually on Ben T. Davis Beach. I’ve driven past a thousand times before. I’ve just not actually been here to see what it’s like,” Jones said. “It was the first opportunity to volunteer, so I really wanted to be a part of it. I love being on the beaches, so I think giving back and just being able to keep this area clean was something that I felt very passionately about.”
All the supplies, like trash bags and gloves, were provided for the cleanup by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
“If we didn’t have the volunteers help us do what we do, I don’t think we would have beautiful spaces. And if we weren’t able to do these things, it wouldn’t be as nice and clean, not just for us, but the wildlife we have.” said Kristina Moreta, the executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
The Independence Day cleanup makes a big difference for Parks and Recreation workers along with the wildlife that are left with mountains of trash.
“Trash just flying out or people are just leaving it where they’ve parked or sat. And it’s a little sad, but it’s a good day,” Moreta added.
There were some good finds for Jones as he picked up some interesting leftovers from the long weekend.
“I have a Croc in here,” Jones mentioned.
He and around a dozen other volunteers picked through boxes of fireworks and overflowing trash cans.
Jones hopes to make this cleanup event an annual tradition on his holiday weekend
“You want to go out, but you can go out and soak it up in the morning and give back to your community as well. So for me, I feel like it creates that balance,” he said.