MCAA hosted its first official clean-up on Saturday, June 21, at the Y-9 shoreline right-of-way (ROW) and the adjacent Dunlap-Wheeler Park.  MCAA partnered with a local neighborhood group, the Easton’s Point Association, and coordinated with the Town of Middletown and the Newport Beach House, which own the properties alongside the Y-9 ROW.

The clean-up removed 17.5 pounds of trash from the ROW, the park, and nearby sections of the beach.  With a small but mighty crew of volunteers, including neighbors, MCAA supporters, and even visiting tourists, the effort helped raise awareness about the trash that accumulates along our coast.  The most numerous items collected included cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps, both of which add to the growing amount of microplastics in our oceans and can be harmful if ingested by marine animals.

The Y-9 ROW and Dunlap-Wheeler Park share a location at one of the key gateways between Middletown and Newport, located at the junction of Purgatory Road and Aquidneck Avenue.  The Y-9 ROW offers beach access both to visitors staying at nearby hotels and rental properties, and to locals, who also benefit from free parking with a Middletown resident beach sticker.

MCAA is grateful to Save the Bay and the Town of Middletown for their support in providing clean-up supplies and equipment, and to all the volunteers who helped make our first official clean-up a success! See the photo gallery for some great pics of the event!