Volunteers Needed for Lahaina Town Clean Up

Volunteers are being sought for the 14th Annual Lahaina Town Clean Up to be held Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and 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 14th Annual Lahaina Town Clean Up event is supported by Malama Maui Nui’s Get the Drift and Bag It! campaign, in conjunction with The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean Up 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.

This statewide campaign is a part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup that kicks off annually 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 plus 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 14th Annual Lahaina Town Clean Up, you can make a difference, right here in your own community.

Last year, more than 300 volunteers participated in the Lahaina Town Clean Up, cleaning the Westside of Maui from Puamana to Mala Wharf and everywhere in‐between. This event has taken place for 13 years in collaboration with Malama Maui Nui, local surf schools, civic groups, school groups, businesses, residents and visitors making it not only one of the largest, but one of the most successful ongoing town cleanups in Hawai‘i.

“We are a small part of the many cleanups taking place on Maui and in over 150 countries for International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 15th,” notes Lahaina Town Clean Up founder and organizer, Matt Lane.

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 need to be turned in at the end of the cleanup.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own water bottle and gloves to the event. For more information go to visitlahaina.com or call (808) 269‐8457.