Join us for a free talk at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, where we’ll explore the critical issue of water pollution and the efforts to protect Long Island’s waters. Learn from representatives of Operation SPLASH and Save the Great South Bay about their impactful initiatives and how you can get involved in safeguarding our precious ecosystems. Together, we can make a difference for our local waters!
Operation SPLASH was started in 1990 by Joanne Grover along with some family and friends to provide a low cost solution to the growing problem of waterfront pollution through public awareness and community action. Now 34 years later, Operation SPLASH volunteers have removed over 3 million pounds of trash from our South Shore bays, beaches and waterways. What started out as a small group with one old leaky boat has grown to over 4000 members with 9 boats covering over 50,000 acres of wetlands and 27 miles of coast line. To find out more, please visit our website www.operationsplash.org.
Presenter Rob Weltner
Rob grew up by Freeport’s famous Nautical Mile clamming, crabbing and fishing as a young man with a curious eye for what was going on below the surface of the water and started scuba diving in his early 20’s. Rob made his living as a Local 25 electrician for 25 years working
on most of the Long Islands wastewater treatment plants, power plants, universities and hospitals. When his father passed away in early 1999 he was remembering how his dad taught him to respect all living things, it struck him how we have not been good stewards of our planet and how in the last 40 years our bays and oceans had become a dumping ground for all the things on land we wanted gone. It’s been a long journey with many ups and downs but after 25 years of hard work we’ve made tremendous strides for the better.
Save The Great South Bay It’s our bay, our heritage — and our legacy. We grew up clamming it, sailing it, swimming in it. Now our bay is sick, and we must heal it, for today and for the future! Save The Great South Bay is a local 501(c)3 non-profit that actively works to restore the bay, and with that, strengthen our South Shore communities. We invite you to learn more about our organization and its activities.
Presenter Wayne Horsley
Wayne grew up on the Great South Bay and remembers learning to swim on the Bay, sailing, and clamming. He believes that along with remediation efforts on the mainland and increased water flow, the bay will rejuvenate. Wayne’s
background includes positions with NYS Office of Parks and Recreation and as the Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature. In addition, he served as a longtime Councilman for the Town of Babylon. He has a Doctorate and Masters degree from St. John’s University in Modern World History as well as a Masters from Bernard Baruch College in Public Administration.
