Help NEFAR clean up Northeast Florida’s waterways! 

Help NEFAR clean up Northeast Florida’s waterways! 

For Immediate Release 

JACKSONVILLE, FL (June 1, 2023) – The public is invited to join in as REALTORS® from the Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS® (NEFAR) take part in the Florida Realtors® Clean Up Florida’s Waters project throughout the month. 

The statewide push encourages REALTORS® and members of the community to join forces to pick up trash and clean the state’s lakes, rivers, streams, retention ponds, bays, Intracoastal Waterway, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean during the event. 

“Clean and safe waterways have been a NEFAR priority for many years,” said 2023 NEFAR President Diana Galavis. “NEFAR is proud to share what started as a grassroots effort and has grown into an annual event with many volunteers and several host site locations. Waterways in Northeast Florida are a valued asset to our community, and NEFAR is committed to the sustainability of our natural resources.” 

NEFAR will be hosting its regional clean-up event on Saturday, July 8, from 9 am – 12 pm at eight different boat-ramp locations between Mayport and Palatka as well as the Jacksonville Riverwalk along the St. Johns River. Members of the public are more than welcome to lend a helping hand. All participants are free to attend an afterparty at the NEFAR Resource Center, 7801 Deercreek Club Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

The clean-up sites will be organized by members of NEFAR’s Area Councils. Included among the locations will be: 

• NORTHSIDE COUNCIL — Jim King Park & Boat Ramp/Sister’s Creek, 8203 Hecksher Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32226  
• SOUTHWEST COUNCIL — Knights Boat Ramp& Marina/Black Creek, 1470 River Lane off Hwy. 17, Green Cove Springs 
• HISTORIC COUNCIL – Wayne B. Stevens Boat Ramp/Ortega, 4555 Ortega Farms Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32210 
• MANDARIN COUNCIL — North River Walk/Sidney Gefen Park, 505 Alfred duPont Pl., Jacksonville, FL 32202 
• GLOBAL BUSINESS COUNCIL – North River Walk/Sidney Gefen Park, 505 Alfred duPont Pl., Jacksonville, FL 32202 

• BEACHES/PONTE VEDRA COUNCIL – Michael B. Scanlon Mayport Boat Ramp, 4870 Ocean Street, Jacksonville, FL 32233 
• PUTNAM COUNCIL – Crystal Cove Marina & RV Resort/Palatka, 121 Crystal Cove Dr., Palatka, FL 31277 
• ST. JOHNS COUNCIL – The Bait Shack at Vilano Causeway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 
• YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK – Lion’s Club Boat Ramp/Arlington, 4322 Richard Denby Gatlin Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32277 

Boat Convoy 

A convoy of individual boaters will gather at the same time at Arlington’s Lions Club Boat Ramp, 4322 Richard Denby Gatlin Road, Jacksonville, 32277. Their mission is to use their watercraft to clean up portions of the river’s shoreline that are inaccessible by land, particularly in the area under the Matthews and Dames Point Bridges.  A barge supplied by Current Problems, a nonprofit based in Gainesville that seeks to restore and protect the wetlands and waterways of Florida, will be available to assist in the trash disposal. Boaters are, of course, responsible for caring for their own vessels and following all U.S. Coast Guard regulations. 

Each clean-up and boat convoy site will be marked by a NEFAR flag. Snacks and water, rubber gloves, and grabbers will be available to all participants. Each participant will also receive a special T-shirt commemorating the event and two free drink tickets to use at the Afterparty at the NEFAR Resource Center, 7801 Deercreek Club Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256. The Afterparty will begin at 1 pm and will include food, alcoholic and soft drinks, and several raffles. 

Putnam County clean-up and afterparty 

REALTORS® in Putnam County will join forces with the Palatka High School Fishing Team as well as members of the public who are interested in cleaning up waterways near their homes and businesses. Those interested should meet at Crystal Cove Marina at 8 am. The clean-up event will happen between 8 am and 11 am with an afterparty scheduled afterward at the Lighthouse Grill and Captains Cove Bar at the marina. If you are interested in helping, contact Becky Williams at 352-213-4200. Those interested in cleaning up the area near their own docks or homes can bring the bags of trash to Crystal Cove by noon on Saturday so they may be included in the weigh-in. All participants will receive a T-shirt and two free drink tickets. Appetizers will be served at the party.  

Local groups encouraged to partner with NEFAR 

The Clean-Up Florida Waters statewide program encourages local groups to partner with existing environmental groups such as the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Waterkeepers organizations, Captains for Clean Water and Keep Florida Beautiful. Sponsoring the Northeast Florida event will be realMLS; Golden Dog Title & Trust; Watson Realty Corp.; NEFAR; Current Problems, a nonprofit from Gainesville; J-Dog Junk Removal; Building Wealth Real Estate LLC, and JAX Boat Rental. 

For more information or to get involved contact Margarita Cavanagh, chairman of the NEFAR Community Affairs Task Force at (904) 859-6943, helpmemargaritac@gmail.com, or Mark Feagle at (904) 607-4587, mfeagle@watsonrealtycorp.com . 

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The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR,) serves as the voice of real estate in Northeast Florida. It is the region’s largest professional association, representing more than 12,000 members who work in all facets of the real estate industry including residential and commercial sales and property management. It serves the public through support of community affairs programs and seeks to protect private property rights. The region’s multiple listing service, realMLS, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEFAR. NEFAR is headquartered in Jacksonville, with satellite Service Centers in Orange Park, Jacksonville Beach, and Palatka.