As boaters, we're passionate about our environment – from the waterways we cruise, ski, board and fish to the islands, beaches and shoreside forests where we swim, play, camp and make memories. The outdoor world is our playground, and we care deeply about protecting it so future generations can enjoy it the way we have.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to find a way to give back? To offer Mother Nature a little extra TLC in exchange for the many happy hours we spend on her oceans, lakes and rivers and along her countless miles of stunning shoreline?

There is. Together with your family and friends, you can host a Lake & Beach Cleanup Day!

To start, you'll want to clearly define your location and the parameters for your cleanup efforts. Are you focused on a particular beach or section of coastline? Will you clean up an offshore island? If you have certified scuba divers in your group, will your effort incorporate underwater cleanup as well? And, perhaps most importantly, do you have permission to be on the property involved?

Cleanups can take place in city, county, state or national parks, as well as on private property. Make sure you notify the appropriate authorities or property owners and let them know what you plan to do; it's always a good idea to get written permission in advance of the big day.

If your project involves wetlands, contact your local DNR to make sure you understand what you can and cannot do. In such sensitive areas, you'll want to keep your impact to a minimum.

Next, choose a central meeting place. Not only will this be the spot for volunteers to meet and later reconvene with the collected trash, this will be ground zero for any scheduled post-cleanup festivities. Make sure you select a place that can accommodate what you have in mind!

Then choose a day and set times for the cleanup. Saturdays are best, simply because you want everyone on your volunteer list to be able to attend. We recommend that you ask your helpers to meet at your chosen location early, perhaps 8 a.m., so you can brief the group and complete a solid three or four hours of work before lunchtime.

If you decide to incorporate underwater or island cleanup operations, have your divers and/or island volunteers meet at the appropriate dock or launch ramp. One pontoon boat can serve as the dive boat – make sure you have a dive flag, C-cards for all divers and, if necessary, permission to dive the area. Another pontoon boat can serve as a ferry to get cleanup volunteers to offshore destinations.

Encourage your volunteers to bring hats, sunscreen and, in the spirit of the day, reusable water bottles or canteens and reusable gloves. You don't want to add additional trash to your effort with discarded plastic water and soda bottles and one-use plastic gloves! Make sure you also have a First-Aid kit on hand.

When your volunteers arrive at the meeting location, break them into groups for the cleanup. No one should work alone; each cleanup crew should comprise two or more people, and make sure each team has gloves, trash bags, a box for recyclables and a container for hazardous wastes before they get started. Designate a place for trash; a separate location for plastics, aluminum and glass; and a third spot for hazardous wastes, including batteries. Ask for volunteers who would be willing to help drive the trash and recyclables to the nearest dump, and confirm the facility's open hours and any fees before your cleanup day!

Your group certainly will work up an appetite during the morning hours, whether they're volunteering above or below the water, and they'll be eagerly anticipating a celebratory post-cleanup lunch. One great idea is to choose a park or public beach as your central meeting location; that way, you can host an outdoor "thank you" party for all your volunteers.

Planning the party can be as simple or as involved as you like. If your party will take place in a park, see if you can reserve a park pavilion in advance for your group. Otherwise, designate a series of picnic tables and arrange the food by station – one picnic table will be for grilled foods, another will be for salads and sides and a third for snacks and beverages.

In advance of your cleanup day, have each person sign up to bring a component of the meal: hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, buns, charcoal, extra ice, sodas, chips and salsa, fruit salad, potato salad, three-bean salad and cookies are all good ideas. Don't forget the plates, napkins and silverware; to help raise awareness about generating unnecessary waste, you might want to encourage each couple or family to bring camping plates and silverware instead of using disposables.

If your party will take place on a beach or in a park that doesn't offer picnicking facilities, you'll also want to work with your group to make sure you have portable charcoal grills and plenty of portable/collapsible beach chairs and tables.

You also can plan activities such as croquet, Jarts, Bocce, Frisbee or even pick-up games of volleyball or tennis, if the park has the necessary equipment. Younger children will enjoy the beach and playground while the adults play games, visit and relax.

One final suggestion: Hold an awards ceremony for your group, recognizing such achievements as Most Trash Collected, Fastest Cleanup Team, Most Interesting Found Item, Most Creative Cleanup Costume and so on. Before you know it, you may have started an annual tradition!

CLEANUP DAY "MUST HAVE" LIST

• Comfortable clothing and shoes. You'll be walking a lot, and the terrain may vary.
• Hats and sunscreen.
• Reusable gloves. Don't add to the trash!
• Reusable bottles or canteens with plenty of water. See above note on creating extra trash.
• First-Aid kit.
• Plenty of garbage bags and empty boxes. Have plastic containers with lids on hand as well for any hazardous wastes, which can include batteries, electronics and medical supplies such as needles.
• BYO items for the post-cleanup party: Food, beverages, charcoal, ice and outdoor games. If your party won't have access to park/pavilion facilities, you'll also need to bring portable charcoal grills and easy-to-transport beach chairs and tables. Consider having each family bring camping/reusable plates and silverware rather than using disposables.

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