On June 23, 2024, the ASEZ members from universities in Chicago, IL held a successful beach cleanup at North Avenue Beach, attracting 44 dedicated members and volunteers. Among the participants was a notable new friend of the organization, Amreh Hopkins, a sustainability consultant for the University of Chicago. Hopkins brought his family, including his daughters and younger cousins, to instill in them the value of community service and environmental sustainability. Although the local alderman was unable to attend the cleanup, he advertised the cleanup in his newsletter.
An hour before the scheduled event, ASEZ members arrived at the beach to set up the tent, tables, cleaning supplies, vests, snacks, and SDG panels. By 11am, everything was ready, and the volunteers began to arrive. They were greeted by smiling and cheering ASEZ members. After completing their registration, the volunteers were given supplies, and listened to brief presentations of the SDG panels. They then took part in an initial picture and received directions and information about what to expect during the cleanup.
Volunteers were divided into four groups, two groups cleaned the beach, the third group headed to the sidewalk to clean, and the fourth group cleaned various areas around the beach. Throughout the cleanup, media staff interviewed members and volunteers about their experiences.
While cleaning, some beachgoers complimented ASEZ’s efforts and assisted by collecting nearby trash and placing it into the trash bags. Also, while collecting trash the volunteers used their cellphones to log the trash into various categories and submitted their reports to a designated website. For an hour and a half, volunteers worked diligently to collect over 100 pounds of trash.
The event concluded with a group photo and additional interviews, including one with Hopkins. He expressed his desire to help sustain the environment, starting with the Chicagoland area, and his enthusiasm to participate in future ASEZ events.
Overall, the North Avenue Beach cleanup was an amazing event. The members of ASEZ are now planning to host another event in July 2024, to contiue their commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and community service.
