'Godfather of Tahoe Beach Clean Ups' still at it after 17 years

What began two years ago as an organized response to firework debris found on South Lake Tahoe beaches has turned into a major community wide trash pick up effort, gathering what beach goers left behind after the 4th of July activities.

But cleaning up beaches on the South Shore isn't anything new for long-time local Kenny Curtzwiler. One could call him the 'Godfather of Tahoe Beach Clean Ups."

In 1999, he saw a need for trash pick up after watching the annual fireworks show from above Regan Beach. He got his staff from his Ski Bum Family, Inc business together to collect trash and they've been going strong ever since.

"I did it because it's the right thing to do for your community," said Curtzwiler.

Every year they hit Regan Beach and El Dorado Beach (now also known as Lakeview Commons) at 6 a.m. on July 5. By the end of the day they've gathered about 4,200 pounds of trash.

For the first 15 years of the Ski Bum beach clean up, nobody really knew they were doing it. The SLT Parks Department saw him out there one year and saw the crew, as did the management of South Tahoe Refuse (STR). He had been paying for all of the supplies, staff salaries and dump fees himself until Jeff Tillman of STR saw him. Since then the dumping costs have been waived.

Pizza boxes, lots of Styrofoam, plastic, chairs, barbecues and diapers fill up their trailers.

Kenny and crew will be at the beach again Sunday at 6 a.m. if anyone would like to join in. He said he chose the early time because he can get his trucks in and out without much traffic on the road.