The Visit South Walton Volunteer Beach Ambassador Team along with Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles invites all community members and visitors to join International Coastal Cleanup 2021 on the public beaches of South Walton. The event takes place Saturday, September 18, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. To help spread out volunteers, hosted clean ups will take place at 5 of South Walton’s public regional beach accesses, allowing individuals to work independently or in small family/friend groups, maintaining a 6-foot social distance from others and effectively cleaning more of Walton County beaches. Private homeowners and condo/resort HOA’s are encouraged to join in organizing cleanups as well. All participants may choose to count their collected debris on the Clean Swell App, available through the App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/clean-swell/id985692119 or at Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.oceanconservancy.cleanswell Coastal Cleanup volunteers may also sign in with a Visit South Walton volunteer beach ambassador at the regional beach access to report and tally total time spent in support of International Coastal Cleanup day. Volunteer hours may also be emailed to Laurie@VisitSouthWalton.com to be counted in the community wide total of time spent cleaning South Walton’s community beaches. If you would like to join in a cleanup at a regional beach access, you will find Visit South Walton Volunteer Beach Ambassadors at the following locations: • Inlet Beach Regional Access, 139 S Orange St., Inlet Beach • Santa Clara Regional Access, 3468E Co Hwy 30A, Seagrove • Ed Walline Regional Access, 4447 W Co Hwy 30A, Gulf Place • Dune Allen Regional Access, 5999 W Co Hwy 30A, Dune Allen • Miramar Beach Regional Access, 2375 Scenic Gulf Dr., Miramar Beach “Walton County is a part of the greater world wide coastal system and it is important for our community and it’s citizenry to join in the greater good of ocean health by participating with people from around the world who are coming together in this cleanup effort to free our waters and the marine life that live there from all manner of trash,” said Lead Beach Ambassador Laurie Reichenbach. “Trash travels from all uplands via wind currents, rivers, creeks, and ground water where it eventually is washed into our oceans. By joining in a community effort to pick up trash along the banks/beaches of our waterways, we prevent the trash from becoming a burden of the ocean and our wildlife. We can improve our oceans pollution by joining our local friends and neighbors on our beaches to pick up this debris before it is lost to the Gulf.” All participants are encouraged to bring their own trash bags or buckets, gloves, hat, sunscreen and water bottle, etc. There will be limited bags and gloves available for those without supplies at cleanup sites.

Who: Visit South Walton Volunteer Beach Ambassador Team and Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles. What: International Coastal Cleanup in South Walton Date: Saturday, Sept. 18 Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Locations: Inlet Beach RBA, Santa Clara RBA, Ed Walline RBA, Dune Allen RBA and Miramar Beach RBA. Volunteers will spread out to the east and west from these sites to cover more area and social distance. Contact: Lead Beach Ambassador Laurie Reichenbach (850) 333-0298, or Laurie@VisitSouthWalton.com

About South Walton: Located along a 26-mile stretch of Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, South Walton encompasses an unparalleled strand of 16 acclaimed beach neighborhoods, each with its own traditions, charm and visual style. South Walton is renowned for natural scenic beauty, with more than 40% of the area’s land set aside for preservation. Its signature sugar-white sand beaches and turquoise water even earned one South Walton neighborhood the title of 2020’s “#1 Beach in America” from Dr. Beach. An upscale, yet casual place to unwind, South Walton is perfect for a rejuvenating trip, and is a home away from home where generations of families have built cherished memories. Learn more at VisitSouthWalton.com.

International Coastal Cleanup 2021 scheduled worldwide September 18