Welcome fellow Hanford Baykeepers to a new season in our wonderful Bay. With the new season comes another opportunity for us to gather together on the beach to collect the plastics, metals and other unwanted materials that detract from the beauty of the beach and which may become contaminants of Lake Erie’s water and the environment in general.

When: June 28th from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. If we are rained out that day, then the alternate day for the Sweep will be the next day, Sunday, June 29th at the same time and place.

Where: At the beach end of the Moran Road Right-Of-Way

What to Bring: A pair of work gloves and a large bucket for the collection of plastics, metals, glass, and other materials that may become pollutants.

As we have done during previous Shore Sweeps, multiple containers will be provided to help sort the collected items into appropriate categories for reporting our findings to organizations such as the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Remember: It is up to us to preserve and restore a healthier earth for our children and grandchildren, because…

We are all Baykeepers!

The second annual Friendsgiving will be at the Community Clubhouse. Limit of 65 people. Because space is limited for this ADULTS-ONLY event, reserve your seat(s) by calling or texting Sharon by September 26. Her contact information will be included in the email that will be sent to Hanford Bay residents.

Meet at the beach end of the Moran Road Right-of-Way (R/W). Bring gloves and a bucket to collect what you pick up from the beach. The sweep will only go inland from the water’s edge about 10 feet. Labeled containers will be provided at the Moran Road R/W to help everyone sort into applicable categories what is collected during the sweep. This is done so that we can report to the Ocean Conservancy what is collected as part of a world-wide effort to reduce the pollution of our precious sources of water. For example, volunteers across the Great Lakes have removed more than 10 million pieces of litter from the lakes’ beaches and shorelines since starting to track litter data in 2003.

In case of stormy weather, come the following Saturday at the same time (9:00 AM - 11:00 AM) to the Moran Right-of-Way.

Katherine Jones, Director of Education and Conservation for the Aquarium of Niagara Falls will provide a message of hope and action for the future of this valuable resource that we all enjoy.

Come to the Community Clubhouse to hear her presentation.

UPDATE: DUE TO RAINSTORM, THIS BEACH SWEEP IS CANCELLED.

Meet at the Moran Road Right-of-Way. Bring gloves and containers to collect trash.

In joint sponsorship with the Hanford Bay Community Club, the Hanford Baykeepers invite bay residents to share your successes in eliminating plastics from your lives.

This gathering at the clubhouse will also be an opportunity to learn some new ideas to help save our Great Lakes.

In joint sponsorship with the Hanford Bay Community Club, the Hanford Baykeepers will be presenting a TED Talk entitled, “Plastics in Lake Erie”. In case you aren’t familiar with the term, a TED Talk means a presentation about technology, entertainment and design to give audiences free access to some of the world’s greatest thinkers, leaders and teachers.

This particular TED Talk will help us understand the challenges we face to keep our Lake Erie beautiful. Come watch Dr. Sherri Mason explain what we are up against regarding plastics pollution.

International Plastic Bag Free Day, celebrated on July 3rd, is a global initiative that aims to eliminate the use of plastic bags.

Plastic bags may seem like a grocery shopping convenience, but they are also a huge strain on the environment. They can take up to 500 years to disintegrate and are a contributor to pollution of our land and waterways.

This day is a great opportunity to:

1. Stop using plastic bags. Or stop using other plastic items such as red plastic drinking cups.

2. Reuse and recycle the plastic bags you already have. You can use them as extra trash bags or as an alternative to a lunchbox. If you want to recycle them, the Tops Markets in Silver Creek and Fredonia are drop-off sites.

Mark your calendars! All Hanford Bay residents, their family members and guests are invited to another Hanford Baykeepers beach cleanup event on Saturday, July 1, 2023. This is our first beach cleanup of the year. Last year’s cleanup resulted in 34 pounds of plastics and other waste materials being removed from the beach. Perhaps a new record will be accomplished at this cleanup.

We will begin the cleanup on the beach end of the Moran Road Right-Of-Way. if possible, bring your own five gallon bucket and a pair of work gloves and meet us on the beach at 9:00 AM. Expect to spend about one and a half hours on the beach collecting and sorting plastics, metals and other waste materials so that the beach looks great for the Fourth of July festivities. We hope to see you there!