3 minute read
You may know AMY WADE but did you know...
BY MANDY HAYNES • PHOTO BY SHERRY CARTER
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Amy Wade is addicted to cleaning up Amelia Island’s beaches. You can find her most every morning with a basket of new treasures hanging from the handlebars of her bicycle.
It’s hard to believe before she moved to Amelia Island that she wasn’t a fan of going to the beach. Growing up in Hilliard, she considered herself a “woods” girl and preferred building treehouses to sandcastles. But 14 years ago, she was ready for a change. Amy picked up a newspaper and saw an apartment for rent in Fernandina Beach. On a whim, she hopped in her convertible and drove down to have a look. “The apartment was on the top floor of a beautiful pink house, and I knew it was meant to be. Before I even got out of my car, I knew I was going to live there,” says Amy with an infectious laugh. “Well, my nickname is Pinky!”
In a southern accent thick as molasses and sweet as honey, which I loved but she apologized for, Amy told me that it was the best move she’s ever made. “I found my feet in Fernandina,” she says with a smile. “Literally. I got off the couch and onto the beach.”
Without giving it much thought, she started picked up trash, along with treasures she’d find on her morning walks. Pretty soon, people were stopping her to see what she’d found. “I’d get their attention with my treasures—shells and fossils— then show them the trash.” Wade grins. “They always wanted to know more.”
The more questions they asked, the more Amy wanted to learn. Along with looking up the names of shells in her collection, she started researching the effects of different types of debris and how it came to be washed up on the shoreline. In doing her research, she learned the harmful effects of BPAcontaining plastics. That information planted the seed for how she could use her daily walks for more than just exercise.
“In 2015, I decided to use my nickname, Beach Junki, as a way to educate people and bring awareness to marine debris, how it affects our beloved sea turtles and their environment. Reaching children and beachgoers through education is my mission.”
One of Amy’s many beach treasures is this True Tulip seashell.
Amy especially loves meeting families on the beach who want to join her, as well as facilitating her Clean-up Summer Camp for Kids. In 2020, Beach Junki became a non-profit organization.
Keeping her bike in good condition is one of the biggest challenges Amy faces. She washes it every day to keep the rust to a minimum. “One day, I hope to own a van to haul equipment and pick up groups of volunteers. Plus, it would be nice to have a way to take my ‘treasures’ around to show people the kinds of things I find on our beaches.”
Some of the treasures Wade is referring to include 40 light bulbs, 500 pairs of sunglasses, over 100 cigarette lighters, and a hundred shotgun shells. She keeps these items on display, cleaned and color coordinated to catch your eye. And it works. Scrolling through her website, it is easy to get drawn in by the bright colors of plastic toy sand shovels or a rainbow made from disposable lighters.
“I have so many ideas and so many things I want to do. I try to stay encouraged and remind myself every step forward is a step in the right direction. Even if it is at a turtle’s pace.”
When Amy isn’t busy cleaning up the beach, she likes to relax by riding her bike on the Greenway or around Fort Clinch photographing nature. Amy is passionate about the safety of Amelia Island’s wildlife and the condition of their habitat. One conversation with the Beach Junki and it’s easy to understand why she’s hooked on what she does. For more information, visit her website www.beachjunki.org.
