Local Gators Clean Up Their “Big Pond”

By Wayne Mostecky, SDGC
 
Everyone knows that Gators love the water.  Here in San Diego, the local chapter of the UF Alumni Association is no exception.  The San Diego Gator Club regularly cleans up a section of Pacific Beach under the local “Adopt-A-Beach” program, keeping the shores by our “pond”, the beautiful Pacific Ocean, a more pleasant and fun place to hang out for San Diegans and visitors as well.
 
In February of 2008, several members of the SDGC (see photo top left) pitched in and collected around 100 pounds of trash from our area adjacent to the historic and majestic Crystal Pier at the foot of Garnet Ave.  On May 17th, local club members again gathered to do the deed (see photo middle left) as part of International Gator Day (IGD).  Members of the approximately 100 Gator Clubs all over the Nation, and world for that matter, annually select a community service project to perform in their respective communities for IGD.
 
This year, 18 eager Gators showed up bright and early to clean up the beach, then crawled over to the nearby Hooters Restaurant, where manager Chris, and (pictured bottom left) servers Mari and Candice cheerfully provided free wings and beverages for the pack of hungry and thirsty Gators!  “The beach has gotten cleaner and cleaner as we continue to gather and tidy it up,” noted Wayne Mostecky, SDGC Secretary.  “With the assistance of the lifeguards, and the positive impact as a result of the smoking ban, our job has been made much easier.”
 
The San Diego Gator Club would like to sincerely thank Hooters Restaurant, as well as the following members who gave up most of their Saturday to help keep the “West Coast Swamp” the cleanest and prettiest pond anywhere!
 
Thank you (President) Bena Leslie, (outgoing President) Devin Lebrun and Linnea Spears-Lebrun, Dan & Erica Brown, Emily Kochert, Hector Rivera-Melo, Amanda, Paul and Caitlin Tennant, Will, Kathlene and baby-on-the-way Madison Stakely, Rob Handley, Carol Walker, Cassie Macias, Sydney Brown, Taryn Foster, and yours truly, Wayne Mostecky.

GO GATORS!