Beaches Watch Give Back 2019 Award was presented to Beaches Go Green (pictured l to r): Sandy Golding (Beaches Watch Board), Maria Mark (Beaches Watch President), Kevin Brown (Beaches Watch Vice President), Anne Marie Moquin (Beaches Go Green), Taryn Montgomery (Beaches Go Green), Kate Sedgwick (Beaches Go Green), Camille Alvarez (Beaches Go Green), Eileen Krimsky (Beaches Watch Board), Steve Piscitelli (Beaches Watch Board), and Lana Rinaman (Beaches Watch Board).
On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, Beaches Watch presented the 10th Annual Beaches Watch Give-Back donation to Beaches Go Green. Beaches Go Green representatives were in attendance to receive the donation and make a presentation about the work being done by their organization.
Beaches Go Green was started by Atlantic Beach resident Anne Marie Moquin with the mission to provide education and awareness around single-use plastic pollution, “recycling right, and creating less waste overall. Their goal is to simplify complex environmental issues so everyone can understand them and make changes in their own lives for the better of our community and ocean. They are making a difference in our community by partnering with local events to encourage the use of reusable items, decreasing single-use items and enabling event day recycling. Beaches Go Green also hosts educational “Movies that Matter” series, beach clean-ups and they work with local cities and businesses on a Recycle Right education plan.
In her nomination, Chris Chin stated, “another way Beaches Go Green brings awareness to the plastic pollution problem is using loads of disposable plastics in their Deck the Chairs display in Jacksonville Beach during the Christmas holiday event. Plastic pollution is definitely a problem that affects everyone. Plastic contamination comes from microplastics, which are making their way into our food, drinking water, and air. Because of this, we should all be grateful to Beaches Go Green for tackling this monumental problem with intelligent fact-based presentations and articles, highly organized yet fun beach clean-ups, educational movies and tireless enthusiasm.”
The Beaches Watch annual Give-Back donation supports outstanding nonprofit organizations that help enrich the quality of life of beaches residents. “Beaches Watch is proud to present this Give-Back donation to Beaches Go Green to show our appreciation for all they are doing to enhance the quality of life for our beaches communities. We hope this donation will help them continue the great work they are doing to reduce plastic pollution in our beaches communities,” said Beaches Watch President Maria Mark.
The Beaches Watch Give-Back Donation recognizes a nonprofit organization that helps enrich the lives of beaches residents. Prior recipients have been Dial-A-Ride, Beaches Council for the Disabled, the Ish Brandt Beautification Committee, Lend An Ear Outreach Ministries, Beaches Community Kitchen, Beaches Fine Arts Series, Deck the Chairs and the American Red Cross Volunteer Lifesaving Corps, Fletcher High School Coastal Marine Science Service Club, BEAM Grace Garden and Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol.