NORFOLK, Va. — Using rakes and garden shears, about 20 sailors got their hands dirty at Lafayette Park in Norfolk. It’s become a tradition for Petty Officer First Class Matthew Malloy since 2020.
“Our command was looking for events to get people off the ship, out in the community and get some fresh air,” Malloy said.
He came across Keep Norfolk Beautiful and gathered sailors from several ships to clean up different areas across the city.
“Since then, it’s been every month, every couple of months, we’ll come out with a large group here at the park," he said. "We’ll go down to the Ocean View fishing pier.”
Friday morning, sailors from Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Naval Station Norfolk and Norfolk Naval Shipyard helped to kick off the Great American Cleanup.
“Cleaning litter all over the park," said Sarah Sterzing, the program manager for Keep Norfolk Beautiful. "They’re beautifying the shelters, they’re trimming bamboo.”
The Great American Cleanup is a three-month program raising awareness of environmental issues. Sterzing said more than 130 volunteers stopped by to pick up litter at the park and the river. The Electric Boat Company brought two boats to lead a water-based cleanup alongside kayakers.
“Litter is a global problem right now," Sterzing said. "People are not thinking about their impact. There are more disposables now more than ever and therefore there is more litter now more than ever.”
Sterzing says this cleanup effort serves as a reminder to the community to remember to dispose of trash while out at community parks. She’s also encouraging people to try to use less plastic and use more reusable items to protect our waterways.
Keep Norfolk Beautiful is hosting additional events to keep the city clean. On Saturday, the Crossroads Civic League will clean up at Crossroads Elementary School at 9 am. Keep Norfolk Beautiful will also host an Earth Day Event on April 22.