As part of our commitment to philanthropy, WestCMR pays its employees for two days of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) every calendar year. Team members get to pick the charity they’d like to volunteer at, as well as the date. This week, we’ll be highlighting Allison, Michael, Ryan, Sheila and Shelby’s VTO with Keep Pinellas Beautiful.
On April 16th, 2021, a few members of our team participated in a beach cleanup in Indian Rocks Beach. The cleanup was organized by Keep Pinellas Beautiful, a non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve and beautify our natural environment by means of community engagement and education.
See what our team members had to share about their volunteer experience:
“Before we arrived at the beach we had to sign safety waivers and read about how to safely clean the beach and what to avoid. When we got to the beach we all grabbed our gloves, vests, and trash picker-uppers and began to make our way down the beach.” – Shelby Jackson
“While we were there we walked almost three miles of the shoreline and picked up litter along the way. We were able to pick up 11 pounds of debris, from broken children’s toys to discarded cans.” – Allison Foy
“Like many Floridians, I have a passion for keeping our beaches and waters as clean as possible. I grew up snook fishing Indian Rocks Beach with my father. When we got to the beach, we asked an individual to take a picture of our group. He asked what we were there for and he too had a large bag of trash in his hand. The elderly man said that he spends every morning picking up trash on our local beaches. It was nice to see someone with the same passion for our environment that I have.” – Michael Mahoney
“Several people enthusiastically thanked us for what we were doing as we passed them on the beach! It was great to volunteer my time for a cause that benefits our community and the beach that I visit quite often.” – Sheila Wasser
“It felt incredible to know that I was doing my part to provide a pleasant beach experience for the wide range of patrons that Indian Rocks Beach attracts, and it felt equally incredible knowing that WestCMR supported us on our journey to Keep Pinellas Beautiful.” – Ryan Vomacka