by Alison Lueders, Great Green Content
On Monday January 20, 2014, from 10:30am – 1:30pm, a student-led coastal cleanup project will take place – by foot and by paddle board – in Tampa Bay. The event, titled “1 Day 1 Bay”, will begin in the parking lot at the new restaurant, The Getaway, located at 13040 Gandy Blvd N, St Petersburg, FL 33702.
A Student-Powered Partnership
This student-powered event is in partnership with the Sustainable Business Coalition of Tampa Bay and The Sustany® Foundation. It is also supported by the law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, which will have several representatives on site to assist with the cleanup.
The lead student for the project is Arden McIntosh, Plant High School sophomore. “We’re making the shoreline more attractive and helping a new business get started on the right foot, fueled by great pizza. No problem getting students out for this one!” says Arden.
A “triple bottom line” business
Dave Burton, a co-owner of Pizza Fusion, is also partnering to open The Getaway restaurant. “The Getaway will be a Florida Keys inspired hot spot that offers visitors a unique way to experience our beautiful coastline with tiki bars, sunset celebrations, entertainment, food trucks, paddle boarding, and more. We overlook the wildlife preserve area on Weedon Island which can accumulate debris from high boater traffic. So we decided to combine our grand opening with a coastline cleanup,” says Burton.
Promoting the “triple bottom line” is important to Burton. Pizza Fusion was awarded a Sustainable Business Award in 2011 from the SBC (then known as Earth Charter US). The Getaway too will be “operated with a view to supporting the triple bottom line, which includes good environmental stewardship and job creation,” says Burton.
Bringing it all together – Comm[YOU]nity software from The Sustany® Foundation
The Sustany® Foundation has the technology, Comm[YOU]nity, to connect volunteers to service projects and nonprofit organizations. “The online program helped us promote the event to students across Tampa Bay. We quickly had 20 students sign up from Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, with more coming,” said Jenna Civitello, Sustany® Foundation Executive Director. “We are thrilled that students have taken this on during a day that the whole country celebrates as a day of service, and remembers the important work of a true community leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.”
At the 1 Day 1 Bay event, student volunteers from across Tampa Bay will remove debris from the bay, while learning a little more about the shoreline and ecosystem from the Sustany® Foundation. Pizza Fusion will provide a delicious lunch.
As attorney Andrew McIntosh, Arden’s dad, says, “By coordinating business, not-for-profit organizations and student volunteers all together, we can do more while having a lot of fun.”
A day of service around pizza, beautifying a beach, and laughing with friends – what’s not to love? High school students, please join us. Visit volunteer.sustany.org to register and sign up for 1 Day 1 Bay. Registration is required.