Volunteers removed over 650 pounds of debris from Eastern Neck NWR on Saturday, April 18, 2009. USFWS photo.

Washington College students remove debris from Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge during the Spring Shoreline Cleanup on Saturday, April 18, 2009. Photographer: S. Holste/Washington College.

On Saturday April 18, 2009, 23 volunteers gathered at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge to remove debris along the refuge shoreline near Cedar Point.  Sponsored by the Friends of Eastern Neck and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College, the cleanup removed over 650 pounds of debris from the refuge shoreline.  The cleanup area is a known horseshoe crab and diamondback terrapin spawning site.

Volunteers included members of the Friends of Eastern Neck, The Alley Teen Center, Washington College, and members of the local community.  Washington College's Student Environmental Alliance and The Alley Teen Center arranged for a vanpool to the refuge from Washington College.  CES provided gloves, trash bags, water and snacks for all volunteers, and hauled all debris collected from the refuge to a waste disposal facility.  Four hours of combing the refuge shoreline yielded a wide variety of debris, including plastic bottles, glass, tires and styrofoam.  Photos of the event were posted on the CES website and published in the Kent County News on Thursday, April 23^rd.