Keep Nassau Beautiful is calling volunteers to beaches, waterways and parks across Nassau County for the annual International Coastal Cleanup Sept. 19.

Crews will gather at multiple sites starting at 9 a.m. for the two-hour effort, which covers Amelia Island beaches, roadways and inland waterways, according to the Fernandina Beach News-Leader. The nonprofit, now celebrating 35 years of service to Nassau County, has organized the local cleanup for nearly three decades.

The event is free and family-friendly.

How to register for the event

Amelia Island TV posted on Facebook that volunteers can register online for a specific cleanup location, though the full list of 2026 sites had not been published on Keep Nassau Beautiful's main website as of Sept. 18.

Last year's cleanup drew record turnout

The Sept. 21, 2024, cleanup drew more than 200 volunteers, what Keep Nassau Beautiful called the area's most significant recorded participation, according to the organization's post-event media release. Those volunteers filled 60 bags of litter weighing more than 1,200 pounds. The top items collected: more than 1,900 cigarette butts, 291 plastic beverage bottles and 285 bottle caps.

In 2024, site captains staffed nine locations including North Beach, Main Beach, Peter's Point, the Fernandina Beach Welcome Center and a paddle on Lofton Creek from Bill Melton Boat Ramp.

Local groups have partnered in the past

Partner organizations included Girl Scout troops, the Rotary Club of Amelia Island Sunshine, the Eight Flags Jeep Club and Creation Care at St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

"There was a lot of litter collected during today's event, but there were many places we did not reach," Josh Baker, Keep Nassau Beautiful board chair, said in the organization's October 2024 release after that year's cleanup. "Every action makes a difference."

Data feeds a global marine debris tracker

Volunteers use Ocean Conservancy's free Clean Swell app to log the type and quantity of debris they pick up. That data feeds what Ocean Conservancy calls the world's largest database on marine debris, totaling nearly 400 million items as of the 2024 report.

Contact information for site assignments

Lynda Bell, Keep Nassau Beautiful's executive director, can be reached at 904-261-0165 or [email protected] for site assignments and registration details, according to the organization's 2024 release. Residents should confirm the start time and site locations directly with Keep Nassau Beautiful before heading out Saturday morning.