Giving Time: Volunteers Help Clean the Beach during Annual Thanksgiving Cleanup

By Kristina Pritchett

More than a dozen people grabbed trash bags and gloves before they set across Doheny State Beach on Saturday, Nov. 19 to participate in an annual Thanksgiving Beach Cleanup.

Vicki Wiker, park naturalist interpreter, began this event after she started working for State Parks in 1993. Normally, she holds the event the week of Thanksgiving, but due to scheduling she moved it up a week.

“I’m so happy that we have a few volunteers today,” Wiker said. “And I’m so lucky I get to live my passion with my job.”

Wikes holds the cleanups throughout the year.

“I have Love your Beach around Valentine’s Day,” Wikes said. “I just love that people come out and help because it shows they love the beach.”

Local Girl Scouts from Troop 2164, sixth graders from St. Edwards, scoured the sand to find anything they could.

“I found a chapstick,”Angie Lopez said holding it in the air.

Near her, Annika Green found a plastic toy dinosaur.

Troop leaders Laura Krzywicki and Karen Cotter have brought their scouts to the beach before to clean.

“We’ve done this before,” Krzywicki said. “But, it’s so important to help out whenever we can.”

Wiker also had help from local Boy Scouts and members of CorePower Yoga in Tustin.

“I’m having them focus on the Creek area because we are forecasted for rain, and a lot of stuff ends up over there,” Wiker said.

The girls tried to see who could find the “most interesting” items. Some of those consisted of gloves, toys and more. They also tried to see who could collect the most cigarette butts.

Wiker said volunteers were able to pick up about 80 pounds of trash and debris during the event.