Students Make a Splash during Recycle Regatta


Jesuit High School Ninth Grader Joe Ottolino, left, and Tenth Grader Robert Colon paddle into the lead during Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful's Recycle Regatta on May 1. The high school students competed in a race aboard boats made from plastic bottles, wood and other recyclable materials. Jesuit High School placed first among the the three high schools who competed by racing their boats across the Garrison Channel.

High school students paddled their way across the Garrison Channel during the Recycle Regatta on May 1 as they competed in a race aboard boats made from plastic bottles, wood and other recyclable materials.

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful's Recycle Regatta was a competition between local high school groups as part of an effort to heighten waste stream and recycling awareness and provide a unique and interesting outlet to improve recycling education opportunities to residents of Hillsborough County. The students were responsible for building a watercraft from at least 70 percent recycled material and will paddle it over a 25-yard course on the Tampa Bay. Monetary prizes were awarded for first, second and third places and to the boat voted Most Creative Pirate Ship by public votes at the Florida Aquarium.

The race took place at Cotanchobee/Fort Brooke Park and tied in with the Dragon Boat Races of Tampa Bay, the first International Food and Beer Festival. KHCB provided recycling bins for the event and Waste Management provided the extra trash receptacles. KHCB volunteers helped empty trash containers and recycling bins that totaled 1.21 tons of trash and .48 tons of recyclables.

"The collaboration between the two events increased the awareness of both events, provided recycling awareness to more spectators, and allowed for cross promotion," said KHCB Executive Director Christine Commerce.

In addition to the Recycle Regatta, KHCB hosted a rubber duck race down the Garrison Channel at 4 p.m. Winners of the Pirate Ducky Derby were awarded prizes that include tickets to the Florida Aquarium and an Endeavour Electric Boat Tour in St. Petersburg. Ducks were sold throughout the event to raise money for next year's Recycle Regatta.

The event was made possible through a "Think Green Grant" provided by Waste Management. Waste Management also partners with Keep America Beautiful on different programs, which include additional community beautification grants and as a National Sponsor for Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program.


Robinson High School students try to patch up their boat before the big race during Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful's Recycle Regatta. The regatta was a competition between local high school groups as part of an effort to heighten waste stream and recycling awareness. Robinson High School placed second during the race that took place during the Dragon Boat Races of Tampa Bay.


KHCB President Paul Hays dumps ducks into the Garrison Channel as part of the Pirate Ducky Derby to help raise money for the organizationÕs litter prevention, beautification and waste reduction efforts. Winners of the Pirate Ducky Derby were awarded prizes that included tickets to the Florida Aquarium and an Endeavour Electric Boat Tour in St. Petersburg.


KHCB Executive Director Christine Commerce, left, Pete the Pelican Pirate, President Paul Hays and Bryant Johnson of Waste Management present the first place trophy to Jesuit High School for competing in the Recycle Regatta. The students were responsible for building a watercraft from at least 70 percent recycled materials and paddled it over a 25-yard course on the Tampa Bay. Monetary prizes were awarded for first, second and third places. Jesuit High School also won the Most Creative Pirate Ship. The event was made possible through a grant from Waste Management.

In-kind Sponsors: Chipotle, Dragon Boat Races of Tampa Bay, Electric Marina Boat Rentals, Florida Aquarium, Garcia Seufert Architects, Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management Department, Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa Bay Lightning

Hillsborough County Gets Spring Cleaning for Earth Day


Morgan Woods Elementary students were among 167 volunteers to help clean Shimberg Park in Town ÔN Country as part of the Great American Cleanup collecting 1,000 pounds of trash. More than 1,200 volunteers picked up an estimated 30,915 pounds of trash and 5,042 of recyclables countywide.

A clear and sunny day allowed more than 1,300 volunteers to clean up and green up parks, playgrounds, shorelines, roadways and more on April 17 during the 17th annual Great American Cleanup.

"I'm always inspired by the dedication and commitment from some of our volunteers," said KHCB Executive Director Christine Commerce. "Without the help of our site captains and volunteers, the county would be buried under a blanket of trash."

The cleanup is part of a national effort through Keep America Beautiful to spruce up and improve communities from March through May. More than 6,500 volunteers of all ages gave back to clean 72 locations throughout the county collecting 67,927 pounds of trash and 9,229 pounds of recyclables.

In addition to the cans, bottles and cigarette butts, some of the more unusual items volunteers found included a turkey, bag full of dead birds, bird wrapped in a T-shirt and the bed of a pick-up truck.

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful also partnered with local law enforcement agencies to tackle litter at its source. The Hillsborough County SheriffÕs Office and Temple Terrace Police Departments are out in force issuing warnings and citations for litter throughout April. As of April 22, the SheriffÕs Office reported issuing 12 citations and made 18 arrests including eight felony arrests for littering and illegal dumping.

"We rely on the hard work of volunteers and commitment of our sponsors and partners to help make this worthwhile event a success," Commerce said. "This collaborative effort is what truly defines our county and makes our community a better place to live."


Kimberly Dil, 12, and her sister Allio, 8, were among 169 volunteers who picked up approximately 2,900 pounds of litter from Courtney Campbell Causeway on April 17th, as part of Keep Hillsborough County BeautifulÕs Great American Cleanup. The cleanup is part of a national effort through Keep America Beautiful to spruce up and improve communities.


Christine Angard of Hillsborough Community College plants some flowers at the collegeÕs entrance during the Great American Cleanup. Angard was among 149 volunteers who came out to help spruce up the campus on April 17th.


Dep. Dean Cary from the Hillsborough County SheriffÕs Office loads a tarp into his truck at Perrone Park in Town ÔN Country during the Great American Cleanup. Dep. Cary along with 16 volunteers collected an estimated 400 pounds of trash.

The National Sponsors of the 2010 Great American Cleanup are: The Dow Chemical Company; The Glad Products Company; NestlŽ¨ Pure Life¨ Purified Water; o.b.¨ tampons; Pepsi-Cola Company; The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company; Solo Cup Company; Troy-Bilt¨ Lawn and Garden Equipment; Waste Management, Inc.; Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.; Promotional Partners: Crescent Art and Framing Products and Get Green Racing; and Educational Partner: Rubber Manufacturers Association.

Presenting Sponsors: Cargill, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management Dept.

Local sponsors include: Borrell Electric Co., CDM, Covanta Energy, Creative Recycling Systems, Entrix, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, Malcolm Pirnie Inc., New York Life Foundation, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Publix Super Markets Charities, Republic Waste Services, SCS Engineers, Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, TECO Energy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, Tampa Port Authority, USAA,Vulcan Materials Co., Wheelabrator McKay Bay

In-kind sponsors include: Aquafina, Chick-fil-A, Conex Recycling, Cox Radio, Florida Aquarium, Publix Super Markets, Republic Waste Services, The Tampa Tribune, Waste Management, Waste Services, WFLA News Channel 8

Now, it's even easier to recycle in Hillsborough County! (And, there's a new contest to top it off...)

Hillsborough County is challenging all residents to recycle more! You can start recycling more right now by putting your recycling bins out every week filled to the brim with recyclables. Don't have a recycling bin? Need a new one? No problem. Go to the County's new recycling Web site, www.HillsboroughRecycles.org, to request yours today.

DID YOU KNOW?
Last year, Hillsborough County residents saved over 345,800 trees by recycling 20,344 tons of paper. How cool is that? Learn more Fun Recycling Facts!

Keep America Beautiful recently recognized Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful as the winner of its National Affiliates Award. To read more, please download the press release:

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful is #1 Affiliate

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