KIC – Keep Islip Clean

Do you know about KIC? Until recently, the only thing I knew about KIC was that it was an organization that I believe was started by the beloved Kay Erwood and the kids of the Islip schools who did clean-up projects.

Boy, was I uneducated on this one! Keep Islip Clean was founded in 1989 as a certified affiliate of the national organization, Keep America Beautiful. Except for a paid executive director, the organization is entirely volunteer, with “Commissioners” representing their hometown. There are 18 hamlets in Islip Township.

To name a few programs, as a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, they participate in the Great American Cleanup each year. They work with the American Littoral Society on International Coastal Cleanup every September. KIC also implemented the Storm Drain Stenciling Project in 1991 to identify storm drains that flow into our drinking water or directly into the Great South Bay. The stencil project has now moved into the medallion project, which are permanently affixed to storm drains.

With the 250^th anniversary of our nation approaching, KIC is part of a Nationwide Movement to improve the quality of life in our communities. – Annette Brownell