On Saturday, October 27th, Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. will host the first screening of the short environmental documentary “Standing Against the Tide, the Story of Operation SPLASH.”
S.P.L.A.S.H. stands for “Stop Polluting Littering and Save Harbors”.
The group says the film highlights just one of the many environmental accomplishments of this all-volunteer organization.
Started in 1990 by one person collecting garbage along the Freeport canal where she lived, Operation SPLASH has grown to more than 2,500 members and seven boats along Long Island’s south shore. Captains and crews make daily patrols from East Rockaway to Babylon from March through November, picking up garbage and litter that flows to the bay from street storm drains.
This spring, the team’s collected trash surpassed 1,000,000 pounds. To celebrate this event, Hofstra University student filmmakers interviewed Operation SPLASH board members and volunteers to document the 22 year struggle.
The film was created by Hofstra students Corey Protin and Alexandra Faul.
“Working on this project has opened my eyes to Long Island’s large environmental issues which every resident should know about,” said Faul. Both students will be graduating this May with Bachelor degrees in video, TV, and film.
Rob Weltner, president of Operation SPLASH, says, “We’re very fortunate to have so many selfless, hard-working volunteers in Operation SPLASH. And for their efforts to be captured in this wonderful film by Corey and Alexandra reminds us all that there are good people doing great things for our environment.”
The film will debut this Saturday at 8 p.m. at the old Freeport Museum in Freeport, New York.
