Local businesses to lead Surfrider beach cleanup Nov. 7

A few Cape Region businesses with a shared desire to keep the ocean and beaches clean will team up with the Delaware Chapter of Surfrider Foundation for a joint beach cleanup effort Saturday, Nov. 7, at Cape Henlopen State Park.

Teams from Surf Bagel, Surf Captain and Swell Joe Coffee will meet at the Herring Point parking area at 10 a.m. for a socially distanced beach cleanup. The group, which is limited to 25 volunteers due to pandemic restrictions, is encouraging anyone who wants to lend a helping hand to register at delaware.surfrider.org.

Many of the volunteers for the cleanup effort are recreational surfers who have enjoyed countless hours catching waves at local beaches over the years. In fact, Surf Bagel owner Dave Vitella and Cape teacher Drew Johnson met while surfing at the point 10 years ago. They formed a friendship and went on to launch Swell Joe Coffee Company a few years later.

Vitella said, “We feel really fortunate to be part of this close-knit community, and we’ve been wanting to participate in a beach cleanup effort for a while. Our family, like many around here, spends a lot of time on the beach, so we’re grateful to be part of an organized effort to keep it clean.”

Swell Joe Coffee will donate its empty burlap coffee bean bags to Surfrider Foundation to use as collection containers. Johnson said, “When we found out that Surfrider was looking for something reusable for cleanup, we knew we could help. When you think about how far these bags have traveled, it’s cool that they can be part of this effort.”

Micah Schlut, founder of Surf Captain and an active board member for the Surfrider Foundation, is an outspoken advocate for its mission to protect the Delaware beaches, waves and estuaries for all people. “There are lots of ways to support the health of our beaches and oceans. If you can’t join us in person for a beach cleanup, consider becoming a Surfrider member at delaware.surfrider.org. Every $10 donation helps protect a quarter-mile of our local coast,” he said.