Deer Island Cleanup kicks off Earth Day events, Renew Our Rivers

Earth Day cleanup events get kicked off across South Mississippi Friday morning with the annual Deer Island Cleanup.

The event, which kicks off Mississippi Power’s Renew Our Rivers campaign, is celebrating its 10th year in 2019.

“Deer Island is a beautiful location that thousands of Mississippians and tourists visit every year,” Public Relations Director for MGM Resorts Mississippi Mary Cracchiolo Spain said. “We’re expecting 175 volunteers at this year’s cleanup. These are South Mississippi residents that care about our natural resources and how we present ourselves to the people visiting the Coast.”

In the first nine years of the Deer Island Cleanup, more than a thousand volunteers have removed 20 tons of debris from the island’s sands.

“You can see the impact made by these volunteers at the end of every cleanup,” Mississippi Power Environmental Affairs Director Mark Loughman said. “The volunteers at this event take pride in the difference they make. I appreciate our casino partners allowing their employees to take part in such an impactful event.”

Partners for the 2019 Deer Island Cleanup include Beau Rivage Resort and Casino Biloxi, Golden Nugget Biloxi, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, Harrison County Beautification, and the City of Biloxi.

The Department of Marine Resources’ Coastal Preserves Program also provides volunteers and guidance at the Deer Island Cleanup.

“Our agency is appreciative of all the volunteers dedicated to keeping Deer Island and our Mississippi Gulf Coast clean,” said Joe Spraggins, Executive Director for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. “Next month will be 17 years since our Coastal Preserves program acquired Deer Island and we are grateful for everyone’s hard work in keeping the island clean for all to enjoy.”

Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy for more than 188,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. With nearly 160 megawatts of approved solar energy capacity, Mississippi Power is the largest partner in providing renewable energy in the state of Mississippi. Visit our website at mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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