Residents, visitors flock to adopt portions of OC beach

When the Ocean City Surf Club approached the mayor and City Council with its “Adopt Your Beach” program a month ago, 50 people and groups expressed interest in keeping trash off the sand. Today, 113 parcels have been claimed by people, businesses and organizations for cleanup.

“Almost every day someone contacts me to sign up for AYB,” said OC Surf Club member Effie Cox, who spearheaded the program. “People are overwhelming, showing me they do think of the beach as ‘their’ beach.”

The “Adopt Your Beach” program asks participants to clean up and document trash found on a beach segment four times a year from April to November. The beach is divided by street, meaning there are 147 parcels in all from the inlet to the Delaware line.

While the initiative is open to everyone, the most common participants are local businesses and individuals. Last Monday, the OC Young Professionals cleaned up the beach outside the Holiday Inn on 67th Street in Christmas outfits.

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