Aruba, an island devoted to preserving the environment, is once again showing its commitment to keep the island beautiful. For the 10th year in a row, the Aruba Tourism Authority is proud to host the annual Aruba Reef Care Project (ARCP), which will be held this year on July 5th and 6th. ARCP brings together local dive operators, individual groups, volunteers and visitors to clean up the island's beaches, dive sites and coral reefs.
"We are very happy to be celebrating the Reef Care Project's tenth anniversary. Every year, volunteers dedicated to maintaining Aruba clean and beautiful come together for the clean up. We hope to set an example for future generations so they will carry on this important tradition," said Marcial F. Ibarra, Aruba's director of tourism for North America.
As part of the Reef Care Project, volunteers also reach out to schools, giving lectures to an estimated 8,000 students collectively in the past 10 years. In order to involve as many schools as possible and to encourage their participation, a contest is held where sixth graders draw a picture and come up with a slogan promoting the clean up. The winning design and slogan is then chosen for display as the official Aruba Reef Care poster. An exposition highlighting the ten-year history of the ARCP will be held from May 19 through June 13, 2003 at the public library, Biblioteca Nacional in Oranjestad.
The island wide event is open to the public. Each year, local dive operators, watersports companies, schools, hotel green teams and social organizations offer their time to help out. If interested in volunteering your time or participating in the Aruba Reef Care Project, please contact Sjeidy Feliciano or Castro Perez at 011-297-582-3777 ext. 235 & 239 or email at s.feliciano@aruba.com or c.perez@aruba.com
