Oct 15, 2015

Give a Day for the Bay with Eco Rotary

 

On Saturday, we headed down to Bayshore Bluffs Park to Give a Day for the Bay with our local Eco Rotary.

The view from Bayshore Bluffs Park. Photograph courtesy of Mary Hudson.
The view from Bayshore Bluffs Park. Photograph courtesy of Mary Hudson.

Club members were ready to receive cleanup volunteers with a smile, a delicious spread of brunch items, and a storage shed full of tools for cleaning up the park. How could you resist?

Club members stand ready to help volunteers get started with the picnic and pickup event.
Club members stand ready to help volunteers get started with the picnic and pickup event.

Volunteers were happy to get to work. They consulted with Eco Rotary Club members, gathered the tools they needed and were on their way.

Community volunteer, Doreen, grabs some tools from the shed and gets ready to work.
Community volunteer, Doreen, grabs some tools from the shed and gets ready to work.
Eco Rotary Club President, Trina (right), helps a community volunteer, Charlotte (left), begin the day.
Eco Rotary Club President, Trina (right), helps a community volunteer, Charlotte (left), begin the day.
Club member Jean sweeps a picnic area clean. Photograph courtesy of Ruth Ann Angus.
Club member Jean sweeps a picnic area clean. Photograph courtesy of Ruth Ann Angus.
Doreen rakes the path along the water’s edge. Photograph courtesy of Ruth Ann Angus.
Doreen rakes the path along the water’s edge. Photograph courtesy of Ruth Ann Angus.

This Saturday, a dozen volunteers put in about 25 collective hours cleaning up the park, or as Eco Rotary Club President Trina Dougherty says, “spiffing up our pride and joy.” Their enthusiasm and commitment to this special place along the edge of the estuary has stayed steady over the past four years, ever since they adopted the park.

Charlotte sweeps the sidewalk near the Eco Rotary Club’s Adopt-A-Park sign.
Charlotte sweeps the sidewalk near the Eco Rotary Club’s Adopt-A-Park sign.

The Eco Rotary conducts these cleanups on the second Saturday of every month. Club members and community volunteers alike rake the gravel paths to rid them of leaf debris, incorporate native plants into the garden beds, pick up trash with pincers or gloves, and pull weeds. Their dedication to eco-friendly gardening practices means that no harmful pesticides or fertilizers end up in the bay.

As Rotary Foundation Chair, Ruth Ann Angus says, “Keeping the park clean and lush with native plantings is a labor of love….” She says they’re committed to continuing this work because they “know how important it is to make sure the bay and estuary remain in good shape. While Morro Bay’s people and businesses are the heart of the town, the estuary is its soul.”

Eco Rotary Club Members Jean (left) and Ruth Ann right) take a moment to visit near the information booth. Photograph courtesy of Mary Hudson.
Eco Rotary Club Members Jean (left) and Ruth Ann right) take a moment to visit near the information booth. Photograph courtesy of Mary Hudson.

The Eco Rotary Club of Morro Bay is a rare breed. It’s the third of its kind, and one of only four ecologically focused Rotary clubs in the world (there are 34,000 clubs internationally). They have earned national recognition for their efforts to educate citizens about sustainable practices and for putting those practices into action.

They recently held an educational forum that demystified the local recycling process, explaining exactly which materials were recyclable at the curb, and which would have to be put in the trash or reused. The Eco Rotary Club also helps the next generation of eco-stewards. This year, they worked to plan and build a new campfire amphitheater at Camp KEEP, an environmentally focused camp that brings kids to the coast and teaches them about sensitive coastal and marine habitats.

We thank Eco Rotary for partnering with us on this Give a Day for the Bay campaign, and for all that they do to keep the estuary clean and healthy.


There are only two more Give a Day for the Bay events this year, and they are both happening this weekend. Visit our Give a Day for the Bay Calendar for details.

To see more of what the Eco Rotary club of Morro Bay has to offer visit their website.