Dewhurst Announces Fifth Annual Winter Texan Cleanup in South Padre Island

Austin - Texas Land Commissioner David Dewhurst today announced that the fifth annual South Padre Island Winter Texan Beach Cleanup is scheduled for Friday, February 15, 2002.

Registration and refreshments will kick off the day at 8:30 a.m at the Edwin Atwood Park Pavilion located at Beach Access 5 off of Highway 100 on South Padre Island. Beach Cleanup will run from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with a "What did you find?" session where volunteers can discuss interesting and unusual findings, concluding the day's events.

"I encourage all Winter Texans to bring their family and friends out for the day to keep the island they call home for several months a year beautiful," Dewhurst said. "Volunteers will get to make many great memories while serving their winter community."

The Winter Texan Beach Cleanup program takes place every year along the Texas coast and is part of the Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup. Thousands of people turn out each summer and winter to help keep the coast clean and preserve Texas natural resources and marine wildlife.

"It awes me to see visitors from across the country and around the world chip in to do their part for Texas beaches," Dewhurst said. "It's always amazing to see the value that Winter Texans put on our beaches, and we're lucky enough to have the chance to enjoy them all year."

Dewhurst paid a special thank you to this year's sponsors including: Walmart, Circle-K South Padre Island, and HEB Port Isabel - refreshments; Keep Texas Beautiful - volunteer souvenirs; Bicycle World of the Valley - promotions and contest awards. Dewhurst also thanked the Cameron County Parks for hosting the event and main co-sponsor, The South Padre Island Convention and Visitor's Bureau for their important contribution to the Winter Texan Beach Cleanup.

For more information on the South Padre Island Winter Texan Beach Cleanup, call (956) 761-6433 or 1-800-998-4GLO (select option 6), or visit the General Land Office Web site at www.glo.state.tx.us/adopt-a-beach.