PMRF Hosts Earth Day Beach Cleanup

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Erickson Magno | 220422-N-UT295-1059 KEKAHA, Hawai`i (April 22, 2022) — Master-at-Arms 1st Class Marcel Blocker picks up trash at Waiokapua (Major’s Bay) at Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, during an Earth Day event. PMRF is the world’s largest instrumented multi-environment range capable of supporting surface, subsurface, air and space operations simultaneously. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Erickson B. Magno)  

KEKAHA, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

04.22.2022

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Erickson Magno 

Pacific Missile Range Facility

Pacific Missile Range Facility celebrated Earth Day, April 22, with a beach cleanup and a special lunch hosted by the base restaurant Shenanigans.

This is the first in-person celebration of Earth Day at PMRF since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

“It’s great to finally be able to celebrate Earth Day together,” said Jessica Behnke, PMRF’s Environmental Director. “Being able to get the PMRF Ohana together to do a beach cleanup is just amazing after 2 years of being limited to virtual celebrations. Celebrating Earth Day in person and seeing each other put their energy into helping our planet and its sustainability is great to experience.”

For the beach cleanup, volunteers were split into three groups starting from Kokole point at the south end of the base, Waiokapua (Major’s Bay) and Kinikini Ditch. All groups ended up at Shenanigans for a special meal for patrons and a discount for those who helped with the beach cleanup.

More than 70 participants collected over 500 pounds of trash and debris during the beach cleanup. The participants included Navy and Hawaii Air National Guard personnel, PMRF civilians, Recreation Pass holders and sponsor organizations.

“It’s really a privilege to be able to celebrate Earth Day and serve those who helped here at Shenanigans,” said Jeffrey Shaw, director of Morale, Welfare and Recreation at PMRF. “It shows that it is a team effort and all of us are willing to help each other take care of the aina.”

The Earth Day celebration also featured informational booths where patrons heard from subject matter experts from PMRF’s environmental team and Earth Day sponsors. PMRF’s environmental team consists of field biologists, chemists and archaeologists.

PMRF Earth Day sponsors were Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, Zero Waste Kauai, Save Our Shearwaters, Rapid Ohia Death Working Group and Kauai Invasive Species Committee.

• Date Taken: 04.22.2022
• Date Posted: 07.13.2022 21:31
• Story ID: 424943
• Location: KEKAHA, HAWAII, US