KAILUA, ISLAND OF OAHU, Hawaii -- KAILUA - The beach was a beautiful place to spend time, except for the fact that large quantities of trash were scattered all along the shore.
Now the trash is gone, and the beach looks much cleaner.
Marines from 1st Bn., 12th Marine Regiment; Headquarters Bn., MCB Hawaii; and several base residents gathered here April 5 to participate in the fourth annual "Kokua at Kailua" beach cleanup.
The cleanup started at 9 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m., and the entire front of the beach was cleared of accrued debris.
During the cleanup, volunteers filled more than 100 large-size trash bags with cigarette butts, diapers, aluminum and glass bottles, and a variety of trash that had accumulated.
Organizers properly disposed of the trash at a local landfill, and items that could be recycled were bagged separately and sent to a recycling center.
"The Marines had a good time and were motivated to help out in the community," said Master Sgt. Juan Rivera, operations chief with G-3. "The fact that some Marines showed up wearing their camouflage utilities made a great impression."
Besides the Marines being present, family members and children of all ages dedicated their weekend morning to make the beach a cleaner place to spend time.
"I wish we could do this more than once a year because the Marines felt really good about giving back to the community in a positive way." said Rivera.