Spring 2025 Recap: Love Blue Chapters Hit Milestones, Break Records, and Gear Up for a Big Summer

As the spring semester wraps up, we're proud to share an exciting season of accomplishments from our Love Blue Inc. college and university chapters across the country. This spring wasn’t just busy, it was historic!

We officially surpassed 40,000 pounds of trash removed from our nation’s beaches through Love Blue-led cleanups. To be exact, we’re currently sitting at 40,350 lbs, all collected by passionate volunteers united by our mission to protect our waterways.

FGCU Chapter Crushes Records (Again)

Florida Gulf Coast University continues to lead by example. Following their record-setting spring in 2022 post-Hurricane Ian, FGCU’s Love Blue Chapter once again broke records—this time removing 2,138 lbs of trash in a single semester. This chapter continues to shine thanks to not just student involvement, but a truly engaged coastal community that shows up, supports, and helps carry out our mission. When you see Love Blue in action at FGCU, you're seeing community and conservation come together in full force.

Flagler Chapter Kicks Off Strong

After an exciting launch earlier this year (highlighted in our last blog), the Flagler Chapter has already shown what’s possible when students take initiative and lead with purpose. Their momentum this semester has laid the foundation for long-term impact on Florida’s northeast coast.

Hydrated & Ready Thanks to Open Water

This spring also marked the launch of our partnership with Open Water, who supplied sustainable canned water to every volunteer at our cleanups nationwide. Hydration is essential for our teams, and Open Water’s mission to eliminate plastic waste aligns perfectly with ours. This partnership has truly elevated our operational capacity and volunteer experience.

Wildwoods Chapter Makes Waves with New Record & New Territory

Our Wildwoods Chapter continues to push boundaries—literally. This April, they broke a record by pulling 315 lbs in a single cleanup alongside the U.S. Coast Guard from Atlantic City. The cleanup took place in a new territory: Heather Road in Wildwood Crest, home to a beloved local fishing pier.

Following this success, we’ve expanded our Wildwood Crest cleanup schedule for summer 2025, launching dual shifts every Saturday starting June 14:

• AM Shift: 8 AM – 10 AM (Starting at Heather Road)

• PM Shift: 6 PM – 8 PM (Traditional slot)

The Wildwoods Chapter will be active all summer long. You can find the full schedule on our website.

Wrapping Up & Looking Ahead

During the month of May, we're hosting debriefs with each of our college and university chapters to:

• Reflect on all their amazing work this past academic year

• Congratulate our graduating seniors and talk about how we’ll keep them involved even after they leave campus

• Ensure chapter leaders are prepped and supported for the fall so they can enjoy a well-deserved summer break

Our community chapters—especially The Wildwoods and Chicago—will keep the momentum going all summer. Be sure to follow our Chicago Chapter on Instagram @lovebluechicago for updates, cleanup dates, and ways to get involved.

Join the Movement This Summer

Whether you're a student, a family, a vacationer, or a lifelong local, we invite you to be a part of our mission this summer. You can:

• Earn community service or service learning hours

• Make a real impact in your hometown or travel destination

• Help preserve the places we all love

And always remember to LOVE BLUE: Pick up trash when you see it—whether it’s at the beach, a lake, or any waterway.

We’re proud of every chapter, volunteer, and supporter who made this spring one to remember. Here's to a cleaner, more connected summer!

The Future Is Bright: Love Blue Flagler's Successful Launch

This past year marked an exciting new chapter for Love Blue, Inc. as we expanded our presence to the shores of St. Augustine, Florida, thanks to the incredible leadership of Flagler College student Sammy Andres. After spending her summer lifeguarding with the Wildwood Crest Beach Patrol and working closely with our founder & CEO AJ Caruso, Sammy returned to campus with a mission: bring Love Blue to Flagler College.

That shared summer of lifeguarding was more than just a job, it was where Sammy and AJ’s mutual passion for the ocean and commitment to protecting it truly came to life. Inspired by the mission and community of Love Blue, Sammy took the initiative to expand our impact and start something new.

The fall semester focused on building a strong foundation: training a new team on how to properly conduct our signature beach cleanups, supplying equipment, and offering weekly support to help mold the chapter into a standout among our nationwide network.

When the spring semester arrived, the Flagler College Love Blue Chapter was officially approved as a student organization, and they hit the ground running. With a few on-campus interest meetings, the team quickly attracted dedicated volunteers and spread the word about their mission. Their first cleanup, held on February 13th, was a strong start, removing 55 lbs of trash with a tight-knit crew of passionate students.

In just a short spring semester, and with fewer than 10 total cleanups, the Flagler team removed an impressive 270 lbs of trash from local beaches and mangroves. They partnered with other student groups and found creative ways to grow their impact, showing everyone what a small but determined team can accomplish with heart, structure, and support.

Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. At the Student Leadership Banquet on April 28th, the Flagler Love Blue Chapter was awarded “Outstanding New Organization of the Year”, a well-deserved recognition of their hard work, community engagement, and environmental dedication.

As the semester closes, Sammy returns home to the Wildwoods where she’ll be joining our summer cleanup efforts. She’s built a passionate team of like-minded leaders who are poised to take the Flagler chapter even further in their second semester. We’re incredibly proud of what this chapter has accomplished in such a short time and are beyond excited to watch them grow.

With new energy, new partnerships, and a strong presence in St. Augustine, the future is bright for Love Blue at Flagler College. Welcome to the family, & keep making waves. 🌊💙

Love Blue Inc. Awarded First-Ever Grant from Open Water’s Sea Change Program

We are thrilled to announce that Love Blue Inc. has been selected as a recipient of the @drinkopenwater Sea Change Grant, a milestone moment for our organization as this marks the first grant we’ve ever received. This support is a huge accomplishment for our growing nonprofit and a powerful affirmation of the work we’re doing to protect the ocean and empower communities.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to the entire Open Water team. Their belief in our mission means the world to us, and their support will directly help us grow, strengthen, and sustain the Love Blue movement nationwide.

How This Grant Will Be Used:

1. Launching New College Chapters

Our college chapters are the backbone of Love Blue’s expansion. With this funding, we can help launch brand-new chapters at universities across the country. Each one will receive a Love Blue Starter Kit, fully stocked with:

• Garbo Grabbers (trash pickers)

• Protective gloves

• Heavy-duty trash bags

• Safety vests

• Branded gear and signage

• Educational and outreach materials

These kits ensure that every new chapter is ready from day one to take meaningful action in their community.

2. Supporting Existing Chapters

For our active chapters, this grant helps us provide updated supplies, enhanced cleanup tools, and additional resources to grow their impact. Whether it’s a coastal town or a college campus, we’re making sure each chapter has what it needs to be consistent, effective, and inspiring.

3. Expanding Our Public Cleanup Station Program

Love Blue’s Public Cleanup Stations offer everyday people the tools they need to take action. With Open Water’s help, we’ll be producing and installing more stations in high impact areas, giving communities 24/7 access to grabbers, gloves, and buckets so they can clean as they explore. This initiative has already helped remove thousands of pounds of trash from shorelines, and now we’re scaling it even further.

4. Attending Key Events & Building Connections

Funding will also allow our team to attend important sustainability and nonprofit networking events, building relationships, gaining insights, and bringing back valuable tools and ideas to share across the Love Blue network. Every handshake, panel, and workshop helps us grow smarter and stronger.

Open Water Has Been Supporting Our Volunteers, Too

Even before this grant, Open Water had been showing us love, by supplying water for our cleanup locations. Now, after long hours of hard work in the heat, our volunteers have refreshing, eco-friendly water to stay hydrated and healthy. That gesture may seem small, but it’s a huge operational boost that keeps our teams going strong. Their commitment to sustainability and community health aligns perfectly with our mission.

This grant is more than funding, it’s a vote of confidence, a resource for impact, and a reminder that people out there believe in a cleaner, healthier future for our oceans.

From the entire Love Blue family:

Thank you, Open Water. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support, your partnership, and your heart.

#SeaChangeGrants #MakeWaves #LoveBlueInc #OpenWater #Grateful #OceanAdvocacy