FIND grant 2022

FIND Provides Grant to City of Palm Coast for 15th Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup Event

Monday August, 29 2022

The Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Commissioner for Flagler County, Randy Stapleford, presented a $5,000 grant to sponsor the City of Palm Coast’s 15th Annual Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup event taking place on September 10, 2022. This event attracts volunteers with a passion for protecting and enjoying nature by removing the trash within their developments or along city paths, walkways, and waterways. 

The Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Commissioner for Flagler County, Randy Stapleford, presented a $5,000 grant to sponsor the City of Palm Coast’s 15th Annual Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup event taking place on September 10, 2022. This event attracts volunteers with a passion for protecting and enjoying nature by removing the trash within their developments or along city paths, walkways, and waterways. 

FIND is a special State taxing district for the continued management and maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), commonly referred to as M-95 marine highway. FIND plays two key roles in Florida's marine industry: to perform the functions of the "local sponsor" of the Federally-authorized Waterway projects in Florida and provide assistance to other governments to develop waterway access and improvement projects.

FIND has been a sponsor for the City of Palm Coast’s event for all 15 years, aiding support efforts to help protect and preserve the native habitats and wildlife along the Intracoastal Waterways in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Since the City's inaugural Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup event in 2008, volunteers have collected more than 27,250 pounds of trash, with an average of about 2,000 pounds each year. 

“The success of this event over the last 15 years plays a dominant role in our community. The residents of Palm Coast value quality of life and preserving our environment,” said Palm Coast City Manager Denise Bevan. “I would like to thank FIND for the continuous support they’ve provided by sponsoring the Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup event. Partnerships like this are invaluable and better serve the community as a whole.”

Over 15 years, FIND has awarded the City of Palm Coast a total of $75,000 in sponsorship funding for the Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup. 

“Our collaboration and partnership with the City of Palm Coast over the past 15 years has been a great relationship focused on continuing to be an environmentally friendly community,” FIND Commissioner Randy Stapleford said. “Seeing the community come together to take care of their environment is endearing and FIND is happy to continue to help fund this initiative.” 

From vintage kitchenware appliances to WWII gas masks, volunteers who have participated in previous Intracoastal Waterway Cleanups can attest to finding all sorts of bizarre and unique finds that have been unfortunately littered in the community. To showcase the oddities of litter found, participants will have an opportunity to receive prizes for “most unique FIND” and largest amount of trash collected. 


The Authors

Angelene Davis

Multimedia Associate