Needham Coke Plant Staffers Clean Spectacle Island

30 bags of trash came off the beaches, while another team of volunteers weeded the trails and 

“It was terrific to spend time on Boston Harbor with our partners from Coca-Cola and friends from the Boston Red Sox Foundation," said Bruce Berman of Save the Harbor / Save the Bay in a press release from that organization. "Seeing Boston in the distance gives us all a great sense of perspective about our community. We really appreciate all their hard work and support."

Numbering 88, the volunteers included employees from the Coke plant here in Needham, according to the press release, as well as a team of college students and alumni from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, and a team of Boston Red Sox Scholars and kids and families from the Red Sox "Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities" (RBI) program.

Mike Nigro, Distribution Center Manager for Coca- Cola at their Needham plant, put it like this: "One of the ways that Coca-Cola gives back to Boston is through our support of Save the Harbor, Save the Bay's sustainability initiatives. We all have a role to play in keeping Spectacle Island and Boston Harbor clean and free of debris."

Long before Spectacle Island became a space for visitors and hikers, it was used as a dump. After a picnic lunch, the press release notes that volunteers spent time searching the beaches for century-old artifacts and beach glass.

Save the Harbor / Save the Bay is a non-profit organization that works to protect and restore the Boston's harbor, public beaches and islands, as well as the Massachusetts Bay area. 

The group is holding a Treasures of Spectacle Island Cruise on October 26, which they will offer for free. Interested parties can send an email to info@savetheharbor.org.