Beach cleanup raises $20,000 for community

Newport Beach received a serious makeover this weekend when nearly 200 volunteers combed for trash during the coast’s first Dolphin Nation Beach Clean-Up.

Father and son teams — representing 11 tribes from the Central Orange Coast YMCA Indian Guides program — spanned from the Balboa to Newport piers, picking up plastics, cigarette butts and other disposables littering the park.

“The clean-up was a great success, and a lot of fun for all,” said Rob Hendrix, chief of chiefs of the Dolphin Nation. “Our boys helped make the beach a little cleaner, while learning about beach quality and how they can improve our environment.”

In addition to the clean-up, local tribes also collected pledges, raising an estimated $20,000 for various community programs administered by the YMCA.

— Chris Caesar