Volunteers Fan Out to Clean Ocean City in Spirit of Martin Luther King

About 140 people volunteered to give Ocean City a midwinter cleaning as part of the fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service citywide cleanup on Monday (Jan. 21).

Calm winds and a sunny sky made for ideal conditions for the event for the second year in a row.

The Day of Service marks the beginning of the year of service as millions of Americans honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and volunteer their time to improve their communities. Ocean City has participated in the Day of Service since 2008.

The event brings together families, individuals and groups in a day of service in memory of King. Volunteers met at 9 a.m. at the Howard S. Stainton Senior Center at the Ocean City Community Center to receive trash bags and assigned locations. The groups then fanned out to participate in the cleanup from 10 a.m. to noon, covering beaches, bayfronts, parks and playgrounds throughout Ocean City.

Even almost three months after Superstorm Sandy struck, the volunteers reported finding trash and debris swept by the storm, particularly on the bay side, where it was caught in marsh grass and phragmites.

The Ocean City Community Association partnered with the Campbell Soup Company, the Ocean City Public Works Department and the Ocean City Environmental Commission to cover the Crook Horn Creek nature area near 51st Street. Campbell's Soup will make a donation to OCNJ CARE's Sandy relief efforts as part of its "Dollars for Doers" charitable program.

The volunteers gathered at the Howard S. Stainton Senior Center after the event for refreshments, Campbell's soup and coffee.