TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | JULY 2019 37
Scouts on Saturday, 12 Girl Scouts on Sunday morning and 72 volunteers
that Sunday night.
Tybee Clean Beach was started in 2012 by Tim Arnold, a self-proclaimed
recovering executive. Originally from Pennsylvania, Tim and his wife, Debra,
traveled extensively before retiring to Tybee in 2012 to live happily ever after.
Walking daily on the beach became an act of frustration when seeing a
variety of litter every day, so the Arnold’s took to carrying a garbage bag with
them that was overflowing by the time their walk was over. Never one to sit
idly by, Tim became inspired to do something about it. As often times, the
best of ideas and organizations happen through divine serendipity. Armed
with a general idea and no organizational direction, Tim met up with some
people who shared this frustration and were determined to do something
about it - Diane Kaufman and Kathryn Propst. Thus, Tybee Clean Beach
was born, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose sole purpose is to get
people together in a common cause to keep our beach clean. The three also
started Fight Dirty Tybee, a preventive anti-litter campaign, and these two
initiatives have proved that just a few people can make a huge difference.
Five years later, through hard work and flat out perseverance, Tybee Clean
Beach has grown from a handful of volunteers to many… from school clubs,
The Boy Scouts, The Girl Scouts, to United Way members, Marine Science
Center volunteers, Gulf Stream personnel, Wal Mart employees, as well as
Fort Stewart soldiers and our local Coast Guard! Last year alone they held
over 70 clean ups involving 2,200 volunteers. That is a huge accomplishment
and truly shows how much people want to save our beach and planet.
If you want to get involved, you can find out additional information for
scheduled events on the Fight Dirty Tybee Facebook page or at www.
tybeecleanbeach.com, where you can check the calendar and join their
email list. From April through October they hold regular Sunday evening
clean ups, usually meeting across from the Marine Science Center where
you will be handed a free parking pass, a bucket and a grabby stick. As they
sometimes move the start time and meet up location, it’s best to check the
website before heading out, or get on that email list.
I asked Tim what his goal was with Tybee Clean Beach and he stated
emphatically, “Put ourselves out of business.” That is the perfect goal!
However, he won’t be doing that anytime soon unless we all aspire to the
same goal. Pick up your trash. Have a great time on Tybee, but take everything
back with you. Do your part to keep Tybee tidy and environmentally happy. It
takes no effort to walk to that trash can.
Remember, leave nothing behind but your footprints!
/tybeecleanbeach.com