NAPLES, Fla. — With Independence Day celebrations now over, a local restaurant group has come together to clean up the Naples Pier.
The city's firework show on July 4th drew in a full house, leaving bits of trash scattered across the beach.
On Friday morning, over 20 volunteers gathered at the Naples Pier for the effort.
“Bottlecaps, cans, some plastic utensils,” one volunteer said, as he showed Fox 4's Mahmoud Bennett the items he collected.
The Kitchen & The Mini Bar, a local restaurant organized the cleanup in partnership with Mount Gay Rum and 4Ocean.
“Tent stakes, plastic, spray bottles,” a volunteer showcased as he sifted through trash he collected.
Jessica and Christopher Lee, who work at The Kitchen & The Mini Bar restaurant near downtown, used their social media platforms to call on their customers to help with the cleanup.
“We had a lot of visitors come in, and all of our local businesses had a great big boom," Jessica said. "But now is the time where we grab our community, get together, and start cleaning up this beach."
The group of volunteers spread out along the shore, sifting through more than a mile of sand. They collected more than two heaping bags full of garbage with everything from old cans to toys and cigarette butts.
While the visible debris on the beach was not extensive, volunteers said every bit of help makes a difference.
“I feel like keeping the beach clean is really, really important. I think it was a great turnout today with people coming out to help," said Kelly Hyland, a volunteer. "But I also think keeping the beach clean is a community effort. If everyone does their part, we can keep it clean."
