By Donald Wittkowski
There were a lot of discarded cigarette butts, paper wrappers, scraps of plastic and bits of Styrofoam.
But perhaps the yuckiest thing that Joe Krajicek plucked out of the dune grass along Sea Isle City’s beaches were some old Band-Aids.
“That’s gross,” Krajicek exclaimed.
Then Krajicek’s 15-year-old daughter, Rachel, came upon something equally icky.
“I found some baby wipes,” she said.
It was a good thing she was wearing rubber gloves. In fact, all of the nearly 150 volunteers who showed up for Sea Isle’s spring beach cleanup Saturday morning were given a pair of surgical-style rubber gloves and a big trash bag.
No one said the job was going to be pleasant, but the volunteers stressed the importance of keeping the dunes, beaches and ocean as clean as possible – especially in a town that wants to look spotless when throngs of vacationers arrive for the summer season.
Joe Krajicek, a Seaville resident who was part of a group of about 25 employees from 1st Bank of Sea Isle City who volunteered for the beach sweep, said picking up trash is nothing new to him.
“When we go to the beach and I see people littering, I pick up their trash and throw it away before I leave,” he said.
Krajicek has been accompanied by his daughter at the beach cleanup for the past eight years. Rachel Krajicek, who is environmentally conscious, said she didn’t mind picking up the trash
“I wanted to come,” she said. “I think it’s important to clean the beaches.”
Rosalind and Aubrey Watson, of Mays Landing, brought their 10-year-old daughter, Maleah, and sons Micah, 13, and Isaiah, 10, to the beach sweep to make it a family affair. Aubrey Watson, a Coca-Cola employee, was part of a group of volunteers who work for the soda giant in Marmora.
Rosalind Watson said the beach cleanup is a good way to teach her children how to respect the environment. She noted they get into the spirit of things by having a competition amongst themselves as to who can pick up the most trash.
“I think it’s imperative for kids to see just how important it is to protect the environment and to take responsibility for cleaning it up,” Watson said.
The beach cleanup was organized by Sea Isle’s Environmental Commission. Maria Andrews, a commission member, said the event attracted volunteers of all ages, including grandparents who were accompanied by their grandchildren.
“It was amazing to see how many people were involved in helping to clean up the environment. They really want to help,” Andrews said. “They know that it’s so important to all of us to keep the beaches clean.”
Andrews explained that the beach sweep is compatible with the Environmental Commission’s participation in a state program to make Sea Isle part of the “Green Team.” The program promotes such things as water conservation and efficient lighting. It also encourages residents to buy fruits and vegetables from local farmers.
If Sea Isle qualifies for the Green Team, it will open the door for the city to receive state environmental grants, Andrews noted.
One of the beach cleanup volunteers on Saturday was Michele Siekerka, a former deputy commissioner with the state Department of Environmental Protection. Siekerka, who has a summer home in Sea Isle, is the president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, a group representing 20,000 businesses throughout the state.
She said the beach sweep is an example of how the business world and community volunteers can work together to protect the environment and sustain the local economy.
“I love the shore. I love the community. I want to keep it clean,” Siekerka said.
One local business owner, Mike Monichetti, of Mike’s Seafood, said Sea Isle’s tourism-based economy absolutely depends on having clean beaches and a clean ocean.
“Where would we be without the beach?” Monichetti said. “Where would we be, as business owners, if we didn’t have the beaches and ocean?”
For the past 10 years, Monichetti has hosted a post-beach cleanup buffet that treats the volunteers to a free lunch at his bayside restaurant This year, the Environmental Commission gave him an engraved plaque to recognize his generosity.
Monichetti recalled sitting at a City Council meeting about 10 years ago when an announcement was made that the beach sweep volunteers would be given hotdogs and bottled water. He thought they deserved something better, so he stepped in to host his buffet.
“There are a lot of good people. It’s nice to see that other people care as much about the beach and ocean as we do,” Monichetti said of the volunteers.
On Saturday, the volunteers dined on baked ziti, chicken wings, chicken fingers, meatballs, chili, hamburgers and hotdogs. Monichetti was busy greeting people who thanked him for the meal.
The buffet has proved to be a popular way of generating more volunteers. Prior to it being started, the beach sweep would usually attract only 35 to 50 people. But afterward, the number of volunteers jumped. Last fall’s beach cleanup attracted 246 volunteers, while Saturday’s event had 146, Monichetti said.
