PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Though a heavy downpour of rain forced them to stop before they did all they had planned for International Coastal Cleanup Day, a few of Port Antonio’s environmentally aware students and adults still managed to make an impact.

Students from Norwich Primary cleaned up a section of the beach at Bryan’s Bay last Friday.

It was not as much as previous years but debris was also removed from White River Fisherman’s Beach. The effort was spearheaded by members of the Port Antonio Lions Club, led by Damion Maxwell. They were joined by representatives of the Leo Club from the College of Agriculture Science and Education (CASE) and the Port Antonio Baptist Church Youth Group. They collected several bags of plastic bottles and other debris.

The Lions Club also cleaned Buff Bay at Blueberry Beach, Olivier Housing Scheme and the CASE beach.

Their efforts were one day ahead of International Coastal Cleanup Day. Observed on the third Saturday in September every year, it is the largest one-day volunteer event in the world.

— Everard Owen