By Justin Broman, Ocean Rescue Division Manager

The excitement began as the World Series Championship bus rolled into Sunny Isles Beach with volunteers from the Florida Marlins Community Foundation on Tuesday, June 15th.  And who better to lead the City’s Beach Clean Up than Billy the Marlin the official team mascot.  

The event started at 9:00 am Tuesday, June 15that at 192nd Street and Collins Avenue.  Local volunteers and representatives from the Florida Marlins Community Foundation along with Billy the Marlin, volunteers from Five Guys Burgers and Fries Aventura Mall location and the City of Sunny Isles Beach Ocean Rescue Division teamed up to clean up the beaches and waters of Sunny Isles Beach.

Billy the Marlin helped with the clean up but also spent time saying hello to the younger beach visitors who were all eager to meet him. He took a quick siesta on a chaise lounge at Ocean Two where Allen Locksley, Beach and Pool Supervisor at Ocean Two selected the perfect chair for him.

More than 12 large garbage bags of debris and trash were picked up from 192nd Street to 174th Street from these clean up volunteers. Lifeguards from the City of Sunny Isles Beach Ocean Rescue Division coordinated the beach clean up efforts. The beach clean up efforts are not only important for our residents but for the marine life that visit our shores. By picking up plastic and debris from the beach we are ensuring that our coastal waters remain clean and pollutant free for the local bird population and other marine life.

If you would like to volunteer your time and efforts to keep our beaches clean, please contact Pelican Park Community Center at 305-792-1706 and register for future coastal clean up efforts.