Photo by Sandy Fahy
Susan Fenwick, at left, unveils the cigarette butt receptacle placed at the 18th Avenue beach access in Indian Rocks Beach as Terry Wollin and Indian Rocks Beach Mayor Bill Ockunzzi look on at right during the kickoff ceremony for the Cigarette Litter Prevention Pilot Program developed by Keep America Beautiful. Both Fenwick and Wollin serve on the cigarette litter prevention committee with IRB City Commissioner R.B. Johnson. The three are responsible for implementation of the program in the city, which involves placement of cigarette butt receptacles at beach accesses, distribution of portable ashtrays, weekly beach cleanups along with the counting of the butts and the distribution of informational literature on the program. Bill Sanders, executive director of Keep Pinellas Beautiful, addressed those attending, stating that "our beaches are our most important asset." He said one of the most obnoxious things volunteers find during the twice-a-year cleanups on the beach is cigarette litter. Mayor Ockunzzi read a proclamation promoting July and August as Cigarette Litter Prevention Months and invited all interested citizens to participate. City Manager Al Grieshaber and IRB Commissioners Jose Coppen and R.B. Johnson were also on hand for the event.
