Before Boy Scouts of America’s Troop 111 out of Arlington, Virginia returned home yesterday after a one-week stay in Grand Bahama, the Troop joined forces with the Scout Association of The Bahamas on Saturday to tidy up a garbage-strewn Xanadu Beach.
Garbage had been piling up on the beach’s shore for months, creating a foul odour and forming a breeding ground for flies. The problem was able to spiral out of control due to lack of garbage bins along the beach.
According to Scout Association of The Bahamas Commissioner Van Rolle, when they arrived at Xanadu Beach at 11:00 a.m., “it was in a deplorable state.” Food scraps, cans, and bottles were scattered across a significant portion of the beach’s shore, he explained. He added that it did not appear as though the beach was being maintained.
By mid-afternoon, the group had stacked up a huge mound of garbage, which they placed some 100 feet away from the ocean. Mr. Rolle said that he wanted to ensure that no garbage, such as plastic, was able to harm any marine animals. The garbage was subsequently disposed of at the city dump.
As Mr. Rolle looked around, he noted that guests walking along the beach should have been pleased to see that efforts were being made to beautify the beach.
“They’re going to love seeing when they look around that there is no trash lying on the side of them,” he said.
But for one of the island’s natural tourist attractions, Mr. Rolle doesn’t believe that any beach on the island should be allowed to reach such a poor state.
Hence, Mr. Rolle made a sincere appeal to those responsible for maintenance of the beach to provide garbage bins for guests and residents to avoid such incidents of indiscriminate dumping from ever occurring again.
Troop 111’s Assistant Scout Master John Kelly said that the troop’s leaders and the boys were more than happy to lend a helping hand, however, citing that their time on the island was so enjoyable and residents were really hospitable towards them.
In fact, “the troop enjoys doing service projects wherever we go,” he said.
Scout Charlie Schulz certainly didn’t mind.
“It just feels good to help out while we’re down here because we’ve enjoyed the island, we had a great time, and we think that we should give something back,” said Schulz, 17. “We can give something back by cleaning the beach so that other people can come out and enjoy it.”
The same sentiment was shared by scout Ryan Shannon, an Eagle Scout, the highest advancement rank in scouting, according to Boy Scouts of America standards.
“I like being able to help out,” Shannon, 16, said. “They’re giving all this positive stuff to us, why can’t we give something positive to you guys?”
Mr. Rolle thanked the Isle of Capri Casino and Kelly’s Freeport Ltd. for their donation of materials to assist with the clean-up effort.
Troop 111 had been on the island since Sunday, August 7, utilizing the waters of The Bahamas to attain their “Scuba Badge.”
By JEREMY FRANCIS, Freeport News Reporter
