Don Larson, who has spearheaded the Sinclair Inlet cleanup for the last 17 years, got an early start as 40 members of the Gold Crew from the Trident submarine USS Pennsylvania began picking up trash along Highways 304 and 3 on Thursday. Many volunteers walked the shoreline collecting refuse while local divers donned scuba gear and braved the frigid waters to pick up debris underwater.

Peggy Hall snapped a photo as her daughter Kristi and her friend Sarah posed with a typewriter they found in the bay behind the old Port Orchard landmark Beachcomber restaurant — now LaGarmache’. A diver was also on hand at the Annapolis dock.

“Several kids from the high school key club were assisting the diver in retrieving stuff from the bottom and taking it to the dumpster. There was a lot of interesting things down there; several tires, a shopping cart, and a bicycle,” said Hall.

On Bainbridge Island, well known local tree expert Jim Trainer, who among his many other heroic efforts to protect trees, worked hard to save the cherry trees at the high school from planned destruction. Trainer arranged for a local company to pick up the mature trees — root ball and all — and replant them. In an effort to raise the funds to pay for the relocation, Trainer sold donated 5-gallon Maple trees at $5 each.

The Stillwaters Environmental Center’s EcoFest was the theme and music set the mood as northenders enjoyed a large selection of displays featuring environmental education & eco-friendly products, with food to boot!

In Poulsbo, the Liberty Bay Foundation (LBF) teamed with the entire North Kitsap High School Soccer team in support of the City’s’ Dogfish Creek estuary restoration to install native plants and spread nearly 100 yards of organic mulch. Last fall the LBF donated hundreds of trees, native plants, and mulch to the project. Joan Hett, who is managing the landscape efforts for the City, was happy to have the soccer teams’ energy and muscles shoveling the heavy, rain-laden mulch.

Hett organizes work parties the third Sunday of every month from 1-4 pm. It’s a great way to get out, enjoy the fresh air, and meet new people. By-the-way, did you know gardening burns over 300 calories per hour?

“Earthday dawned in Bremerton with a light overcast and refreshing mist as workers headed out to walk the shorelines and dive beneath the silver waters of Dyes Inlet and Sinclair Inlet,” said Mike Shepherd, city councilmember and president of Kitsap Trees and Shoreline Association (KITSA).

Shepherd and KiTSA member Alice Trainer, pictured here in Evergreen Park in Bremerton, were among many who got up early and walked along the shorelines and greenspaces of Bremerton to pick up trash and admire this wonderful place we live in.

“We picked up about a half pickup load of debris in short order and had a great time in one of the most beautiful places in the world — the shoreline of Puget Sound in Bremerton!” exclaimed Shepherd.

KiTSA celebrated its 1st year anniversary by taking part in several weekend EarthDay events and launching their new website at: www.KITSA.net.