Madeira Beach & Gulfport Beach cleanups

Madeira Beach & Gulfport Beach Cleanups

Gulfport Grass Roots Goes Beyond the Beach

The Gulf Beach Masonic Lodge in Madeira Beach, nabbed over ten garbage bags of trash from the neighborhood adjacent to the Masonic Lodge on Sunday, July 12. Lodge members partnered with local residents for community cleanup while keeping to CDC pandemic guidelines – everyone wore masks and was socially distanced as they tackled the local debris. The Lodge called it “a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community and help in keeping our neighborhood clean.”

Gulf Beach Lodge Members who participated in the community cleanup include, from left, Chip Cahall, Howard Feldman, David Neville, Patrick Lynch, Joe Sosa, Steve Johnson and David Ristine.

Howard Knapp

Gulf Beach Lodge will be volunteering at the Madeira Beach Trash Pirates cleanup on Saturday, August 1, and encourages other organizations to take part. For more information, contact them via gulfbeachlodge.org.

“Gulf Beach Masonic Lodge No. 291 was chartered in 1950 and has been an active force on the Gulf Beaches for over 70 years. Its members have included bankers, contractors, teachers, congressmen, soldiers, pharmacists, police, firefighters, and a myriad of men from all walks of life,” the Lodge states. “Freemasonry is open to men ages 18 and above and offers an opportunity to be proactive in the community as well as to be a part of a fraternity that dates back three hundred years. Some notable Freemasons were George Washington (and 15 other US Presidents), Ben Franklin, Henry Ford, Red Skelton, and General Douglas MacArthur.”

Gulfport Grass Roots Goes Beyond the Beach

Larry and Suzanne Kennedy turned up to help Gulfport Grass Roots clean up the town Saturday, July 11.

Wolfgang Deininger

“What a wonderful turnout yesterday morning for only the second Gulfport ‘Beyond the Beach Clean-up’ since the Covid lockdown,” wrote organizer Wolfgang Deininger on Facebook.

Saturday, July 11, 18 volunteers took pail and picker in hand and fanned out over Gulfport Beach and the waterfront area picking up “too many cigarette butts and other trash.”

Deininger called it “a real grassroots way to spend a small amount of time being a part of the solution!”

Gulfport GrassRoots Beyond the Beach Cleanups meet every second Saturday at 8 to 10 a.m. at Shelter #4 on Gulfport Beach. Anyone is welcome; no need to RSVP.

Pat Cohen was one of 18 volunteers who helped out picker and bucket to clear Gulfport Beach and the surrounding green space of cigarette butts and trash.

Wolfgang Deininger

“Stay 20 minutes or two hours,” said Deininger.

In addition to thanking participants, Deininger also expressed appreciation for Michelle and Allan Bishop at GulfPerk Coffee Bar for brewed refreshments.