April 15th to April 22nd
About the Blitz
Litter – it’s everywhere! You see it on our streets, in our parks, on our shorelines, and in the water. Blown by the wind on trash day, tossed out car windows, intentionally dumped – however it gets there, it’s an eyesore and bad for the environment.
The Barnegat Bay Blitz is an annual watershed-wide cleanup that brings together hundreds of volunteers with one goal in mind – keeping our land and water clean by removing litter from our neighborhoods. By removing bags, bottles, and butts to tires and larger items, Blitz volunteers make a difference!
Volunteer for a Blitz Cleanup
Volunteer at one (or more!) of the cleanups happening throughout Ocean County during Earth Week. Use the list below to find a cleanup in your area, then email the Captain to sign up as a volunteer. The Captain will send you information, including where to meet, and provide a waiver/photo release form for you to sign. For cleanups by kayak, bring your own except where noted. Read our “Tips for Volunteers” for information about what to bring and wear and how to stay safe during a cleanup.
| Location | Cleanup Captain | Date/Time | Notes |
| Barnegat | Lauren Keltos | April 19 9:00 am | Cleanup at Barnegat public beach and the nearby Forsythe Refuge. |
| Berkeley | Crystal Pirozek | April 19 9:00 am | Roadside cleanup of East Bayview Ave. and Sloop Creek Rd. Meet at the end of Sloop Creek Rd. on the bay. |
| Brick | Graceanne Taylor | April 17 9:00 am | Cleanup of the deCamp Wildlife Trail in the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. |
| Brick | Ray LeChien | April 15 9:00 am | Cleanup of Riverwalk Refuge by Brick Environmental Commission. Meet on Mantoloking Rd. 1/2 mile east of Church Rd. (40.045107, -74.101677) |
| Cattus Island County Park | Bailey Sanders | April 18 10:00 am | Cleanup of trails at Cattus Island County Park in Toms River. |
| Eagleswood | Maria VandeZilver | April 19 10:00 am | Cleanup of Westecunk Creek by kayak. Bring your own kayak. Victoria Vella is the co-captain for this cleanup. |
| Island Heights | Tanara Hall | April 22 | Email Tanara for start time and meeting location. |
| Lakewood | Bailey Sanders | April 20 9:30 am | Cleanup of Lake Shenandoah by canoe and on land. 10 spots available on park canoes, or bring your own kayak or canoe. |
| Little Egg Harbor | Bailey Sanders | April 22 9:00 am | Cleanup of former cranberry bogs at Pinelands Regional High School. |
| Long Beach Township | Frank McLaughlin | April 21 10:00 am | Bay beach and tidal marsh cleanup at Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences. |
| Mantoloking | Ed O’Malley | April 22 1:00 pm | Meet at Patty Brand Memorial Garden on Bergen Ave. |
| Manchester | Amanda Kisty | April 15 10:00 am | Meet at Northampton Blvd. and Montgomery Ave. For more information, call Amanda at 732-657-8121 x 3911. |
| Plumsted | Jeff Mason | April 19 10:00 am | We have enough volunteers for this cleanup. Please volunteer for another one. |
| Point Pleasant Borough | Matthew Scott | April 20 10:00 am | We have enough volunteers for this cleanup. Please volunteer for another one. |
| Riverwood Park | Leigh Simpson | April 16 11:00 am | Cleanup of Riverwood Park in Toms River. Meet at the end of Riverwood Drive. |
| Seaside Heights | Lynette Lurig | April 20 10:00 am | We have enough volunteers for this cleanup. Please volunteer for another one. |
| South Toms River | Jen Feltis | April 20 10:00 am | Cleanup along Crabbe Road and around the fishing pier on the Toms River. |
| Toms River | Crystal Pirozek | April 21 8:30 am | Email Crystal for location and other details. |
| Tuckerton | Brooke Salvanto (see Notes) | April 16 12:00 pm | Cleanup of Tuckerton River using kayaks provided by Tuckerton Seaport. Limited space, register here. |
Click any of the icons in the map below to see the cleanup nearest to you!
Become a Blitz Sponsor
Interested in sponsoring the Blitz? Sponsors help with cleanup supplies, t-shirts for volunteers, refreshments, publicity, and more. Sponsor logos will be displayed on this site and on promotional materials. Contact Karen Walzer at kwalzer@ocean.edu for more information.
Thank you to NJ Department of Environmental Protection and Ocean County Clean Communities for its ongoing support of the Blitz!
A special thank you to Richard and Karen Knudson of Barnegat Township for their generous sponsorship of the Blitz!
