By: Noelle Lambert
April’s Charity of the Month is:
Operation S.P.L.A.S.H.
In honor of Earth Day, an annual event celebrated on April 22nd, which brings awareness about environmental conservation, I chose an eco-friendly non-profit on Long Island that strives to help conserve our island.
Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. is a non-profit volunteer ran organization that is committed to improving the quality of life on Long Island Shores. Their mission is to provide a low cost solution to the growing problem of waterfront pollution through public awareness, community action and your participation. S.P.L.A.S.H. stands for Stop Polluting, Littering and Save Harbors.
Joanne and Al Grover started Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. in 1990. 2019 is their 29th year of cleaning up our bays, beaches and waterways. Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. has grown from 1 person to several thousand concerned members in 7 chapters dotted all along Long Island’s South Shore.
This organization holds Beach, Bay and Waterway Clean-Ups and operates several other projects such as Street Storm Drains, Ocean-Bay Water Exchange, No Wake Zones, Clean Marina Program, Youth Education Programs and more.
Their award-winning S.P.A.S.H. education program teaches thousands of students each year about the importance of our South Shore Bays and the challenges that they face. Students of all ages enjoy the classroom program, the bay tour by boat, the trip down the Nautical Mile and seeing the saltwater tanks brimming with local marine life.
This organization has 7 boats that go out in our waterways to patrol and pick-up trash and debris between March and November. All of the boats are operated by volunteer captains and crews that give their time to go out on clean-up trips. Clean-up trips usually last about 3 hours. After their boats are taken out of the water for the season, they bring them back to their Freeport headquarters and immediately start to work on them to get them ready for the next season.
They have rescued 2,498,267 pounds of trash from our waters in 28 years! The amazing impact that Long Island Waterways sees from the work of Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. is something each of us should be thankful for!
If you would like to be a part of their mission and volunteer with this organization, you can! The following volunteer positions are available: Boat Crew Members and Boat Maintenance and Repair Members. Donations are needed for Fuel, Insurance, Clean-Up Supplies and Boat Maintenance.
Please call them at (516) 378-4770 or visit www.OperationSplash.org for additional information and updated boating schedules.
Another Organization You Can Get Involved With:
Bikers Against Child Abuse
www.bacaworld.org
Bikers Against Child Abuse is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. They are a body of bikers that empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. B.A.C.A. takes a firm stand against all forms of child abuse to include, but not limited to, physical, sexual, emotional and child porn. This organization has documented the following behaviors in the children they support: improved self confidence, better communication, decreased negative behaviors, increased feeling of safety and more. If you would like to receive more information about all they do and or how you can receive help, please call Big D at (631) 664-8800. Additionally, you can call their Help Line at (631) 408-8218.
If you would like your organization to be featured in this column, please email Noelle@SouthBaysNeighbor.com!
Recent Comments