Aquarium inviting families to help clean Kure Beach ahead of school year

KURE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is partnering with the Town of Kure Beach for a back-to-school beach cleanup later this month.

The cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22, from 8 to 10 a.m. at Ocean Front Park in Kure Beach.

Dey Romo Rossell, communications manager for the aquarium, said the event is part of the aquarium’s continued conservation work while the Fort Fisher facility is closed for a major renovation and expansion project.

Participants will be provided with reusable gloves, trash pickers, tote bags and buckets. Organizers are encouraging people to wear school colors, team gear or other school-themed clothing, with a prize planned for the participant showing the most school spirit.

The aquarium is also asking volunteers to bring reusable water bottles and avoid single-use plastics during the cleanup. Water refill stations will be available at the event.

Rossell said the goal is to help people connect environmental stewardship with the beaches and ecosystems they use throughout the year.

“We have these beautiful animals and ecosystems that we like to share. We live in that beauty, and we want to make sure that we connect people to that,” Rossell said during an interview with WWAY.

Free parking will be available for volunteers in town spaces near Ocean Front Park.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher has been closed since late May as work continues on a roughly 30-month renovation and expansion project. A pop-up experience called Discovery Bay is currently open at Independence Mall.