Crews plan to clean up Santa Cruz party beach

One local non-profit knows just how busy, crazy and dirty Memorial Day weekend can leave local party beaches.

Save our Shores announced its first holiday relief clean-up plan for the hot spots to begin the day after Memorial Day at Panther Beach.

On Tuesday, long after the many long-weekend revelers have left, the non-profit will gather volunteers from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in an effort to remove as much weekend waste as possible before high surf or high tides flush out the debris.

Save Our Shores previously launched monthly cleanups at Panther Beach in January of this year as part of its XStream Cleanup program. Panther is the pilot location to receive “relief” efforts due to the culmination of record cleanup totals, signage vandalism and late night partying complaints along the North Coast. This is the first of three scheduled post-holiday events at Panther alone.

SOS said it plans to restore Panther, along with many other Santa Cruz shorelines, on the 5th of July as part of their annual Star Spangled event. Panther will receive additional attention the morning after Labor Day as well.

“Our intention is to not only remove the morning after Memorial Day mess, but to also encourage community members and visitors alike to celebrate responsibly while on the edge of our beautiful Sanctuary,” said Laura Kasa, Executive Director of SOS in a news release Friday.

Check in will be located near the SOS sign next to the dirt parking lot off Highway 1. Individual and small group volunteers are welcome. Save Our Shores will provide all necessary cleanup supplies. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own garden gloves and buckets as well as filled, reusable water bottles.