Keeping It Clean on TI

By Gabrielle Reeder

Don Nolan of Treasure Island keeps the beach beautiful and thinks of the safety of others while leading monthly Treasure Island clean ups.

“We’ve been doing this since 1999. Second Saturday of every month, 8:30,” Nolan said.

Volunteers meet in the Waffle House parking lot, at 11185 Gulf Blvd, and Nolan doles out a bucket, garbage bag and a litter grabber to each participant. Each cleanup lasts around two hours.

“The thing that scares me is the kids, when they get out on the beach, they run. And if somebody brings a bottle and breaks it, you know, the kid steps on it,” Nolan said.

If there are copious amounts of dead birds or fish, Nolan says he’ll call the city to find out the cause. The city provides a dumpster for the trash collected at each clean up in exchange for credit.

“We’ve been running around close to 2,000 pounds a year,” Nolan said.

The city provides a sign on the causeway for the cleanups, which Nolan says helps with turnout. During peak season, locals and even tourists participate.

“Sometimes we get a lot of tourists, this time of year,” Nolan said. “One time is better than no time.”

Don Nolan checks his supplies at a recent Treasure Island beach cleanup.

Gabrielle Reeder