Press Releases

October 5, 1998
Southampton College Students Handle Cleanup at Old Town Beach

Joint Effort by Students in Marine Science Club, Junior Class of 2000 and Environmental Research and Conservation Group (ERC)

Contact:
Jane Finalborgo
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Southampton, NY -- At Old Town Beach off Gin Lane, a group of student volunteers from Southampton College of Long Island University picked up more than 30 bags of refuse, ranging from soda cans to cigarette butts, during a Sept. 27 beach clean-up in Southampton Village.

The clean-up was co-sponsored by the Marine Science Club and the Junior Class of 2000, both of Southampton College, along with the Environmental Research and Conservation (ERC) group.

The most dangerous piece of trash was a hypodermic syringe found capped on the surface of the beach, not far from some surgical tubing. Thanks to Southampton Hospital, both were disposed of properly.

The effort "has already sparked plans for more like it," said Shawn Kiernan, Director of ERC. "The beach was made better for the enjoyment and safety of everything that uses it."

Kiernan, who is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Environmental Science at the College, founded ERC in June 1998 to do educational and environmental consulting.

Helping organize the event was Lacey Wallace, president of the Marine Science Club at Southampton College, and Samantha Cogar, co-president of the Junior Class of 2000.

The Southampton College students also included John Pilcher, Lauren Gaeta, Genevieve Areson, Jay Tasch, Rachael Mead, Sherry Stayer, Val Chamberlain, Maggie Reynold, Jackie Townsend, Carley Tallman, Melissa Breding, Nicole Mahool and Jaime Hill.