Leading Nonprofit Brings TrashDash to Hometown, Offers New Virtual Component; Invites Individuals to Participate in Litter Pickup focused on PPE
STAMFORD, Conn. (Aug. 17, 2020) – Join Stamford, Connecticut-based Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, on Sun., Sept. 20 for the second annual Keep America Beautiful TrashDash™ plogging event and fun run.
TrashDash will be held in-person at Mill River Park in Stamford, Conn., in partnership with Mill River Park Collaborative, and anywhere virtually in communities across the world via social media. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event brings a heightened awareness to the critical issue of littered personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and gloves, on the ground and in waterways.
“As the leading organization in community improvement in America for more than six decades, Keep America Beautiful has recently innovated with TrashDash evolving our mission to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve their community environment,” said Helen Lowman, PhD, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful.
Plogging, a combination of jogging and picking up litter, started as an organized activity in Sweden in 2017 because of growing concerns about litter and marine debris and has since spread to other countries. Keep America Beautiful and its more than 650 community-based affiliates are leading this trend in the United States by conducting plogs to make their communities cleaner, safer, healthier, and more beautiful.
“Plogging is a great way for all people to stay active, enjoy their public spaces, and contribute to helping keep their community clean and beautiful,” said Lowman. “We want everyone to be safe during the pandemic, and an essential part of community health is ensuring that trash ends up where it belongs, in the bin.”
At the Stamford TrashDash, each participant will receive a plogging kit, including a litter picker, gloves, and a bag, as well as an official race t-shirt. Each participant will be assigned to collect trash or recyclables. At the end of the plog, the collected litter will be weighed and properly disposed of with the assistance of Stamford’s waste hauler.
“I am thrilled Keep America Beautiful is taking the lead and coordinating with Mill River Collaborative to beautify one of our great public parks,” said Stamford Mayor David Martin. “Now more than ever, our residents are looking for ways to be outside, socialize with friends, and make our community better. Keep America Beautiful has put together this plogging event to accomplish all three and I am grateful for their continued work in our City.”
The virtual TrashDash event is open to anyone regardless of time zone and location and will also be conducted on Sept. 20. Individuals are encouraged to join the one-day movement to end litter and plog at a location in their community, such as a neighborhood, park, beach, or trail. Participants are asked to post results on Instagram by tagging @KeepAmericaBeautiful and including the hashtags #DoBeautifulThings and #TrashDash.
Ploggers are invited to register now as individuals or to form TrashDash teams to help raise funds for Keep America Beautiful. Individual adult registration for the Stamford event is $25 and children 14 and under are free. Individual registration for the virtual event is free, however, a $10 donation is appreciated.
Due to COVID-19, Keep America Beautiful is taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of ploggers, staff, volunteers, spectators, and vendors. To maintain physical distancing, ploggers will be assigned to different waves. In the park and along the route, ploggers will need to maintain a minimum distance of 12ft. from one another. Face coverings will be required.
In-person check-in on Sept. 20 will be held at Mill River Park on 30 W Broad St. in Stamford, CT. Registration and start times will be dependent on assigned wave times, starting at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m.
Parking is located around the downtown Stamford area in various garages and street parking. Please check the Stamford Parking page for a full list. Keep America Beautiful will not reimburse parking fees.
Register and learn more here.
The Keep America Beautiful TrashDash is sponsored by Dart Container Corporation as a cornerstone of their sustainability commitment.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision.
The Keep America Beautiful Model for Change – steeped in education, research, and behavioral science – is the cornerstone of Keep America Beautiful. We empower generations of community and environmental stewards with volunteer programs, hands-on experiences, educational curricula, practical advice, and other resources. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 650 Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
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