Record Turnout Raises $2,700 for Early Learning Coalition

The Pineapple Willy’s Foundation’s Summer Beach Cleanup Series reached a new milestone on Saturday, August 15, as 136 volunteers came together to help keep Panama City Beach beautiful—the largest turnout we’ve had so far this year!

As part of the Foundation’s commitment to giving back to our community, $10 is typically donated to the week’s featured nonprofit for every volunteer who participates. With 136 people joining us, the Early Learning Coalition was set to receive a donation of $1,360.

But the Pineapple Willy’s Foundation decided to nearly double that amount, presenting the Early Learning Coalition with a $2,700 donation!

The Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida works to help children and families throughout our area access quality early learning opportunities and resources.

Through programs and services that support early childhood education, school readiness, families, and local child care providers, the organization helps give young children the strong foundation they need to learn, grow, and succeed.

The Pineapple Willy’s Foundation is proud to support an organization investing in children during some of the most important years of their development and helping strengthen families throughout Northwest Florida.

Seeing 136 volunteers on the beach Saturday morning was an incredible reminder of how much this community cares about giving back.

What begins as one hour spent picking up litter along our shoreline becomes something much bigger. Every volunteer helps protect the beach we all love while also helping generate financial support for organizations doing important work throughout our community.

From locals who join us week after week to visitors who decide to spend part of their vacation giving back, we’re grateful for every person who has helped make this year’s Summer Beach Cleanup Series such a success.

And with 136 volunteers, August 15 officially became our largest cleanup of the summer so far!

We’d also like to give another big thank you to our amazing raffle sponsors who continue to support the Summer Beach Cleanup Series.

Their generosity helps us make Saturday mornings even more fun for our volunteers, and we encourage everyone to support the businesses that support our community!

We’ll be back on the beach next Saturday at 8:30 a.m. for another Summer Beach Cleanup, this time benefiting The Evers House.

The Evers House is a local faith-based nonprofit that provides a 6- to 12-month sober living program for individuals working toward recovery. The organization provides a safe and supportive environment where residents can focus on sobriety, attend recovery programs, maintain employment, and work toward rebuilding their lives.

The Evers House also works within the community to address substance abuse and reduce overdose deaths, including providing free Narcan and maintaining Narcan distribution locations throughout Bay County.

We’re proud to have the opportunity to support their work and hope you’ll join us for another morning of cleaning our beach and giving back to our community.

Thank you again to all 136 volunteers who joined us on August 15. You helped make this our biggest cleanup of the year and inspired a $2,700 donation to the Early Learning Coalition!

We’ll see you next Saturday at 8:30 a.m.!