Council recognizes Craig Jorgensen for years of beach cleanups and service to veterans

The Metropolitan King County Council on March 18 recognized Craig Jorgensen for more than 11 years organizing beach and park cleanups through his ‘‘Random Acts of Cleanup’’ volunteer effort and for his military and public service.

Council Member Pete von Reichbauer read a resolution describing Jorgensen’s long record of volunteer stewardship at parks including Seacrest Waterfront Park, Alki Beach Park, Emma Schmitz Park, Lohman Beach and Lincoln Park waterfront areas. The resolution credited Jorgensen with organizing volunteers and named several recurring volunteers who support the effort.

The resolution, as read into the record, also summarized Jorgensen’s military service in Vietnam and listed decorations included in the text: one Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, the Combat Infantry Badge and three Purple Hearts; it further noted his later service as a firefighter and with the U.S. Customs Service and his authorship of books documenting soldiers’ experiences in Vietnam.

Remarks from the honoree Craig Jorgensen spoke to the council about how he and volunteers began cleaning beaches after he retired and described the work as informal and episodic: ‘‘If the sun is shining, we’re out there,’’ he said. He described recruiting volunteers through personal networks, taking photos of recovered items (including rental bicycles found in the water) and notifying vendors when possible. Jorgensen credited his wife with encouraging the effort and said volunteers of all ages join when they can.

Why it matters: The council and members of the public framed the recognition as honoring long‑term volunteer stewardship that preserves public beaches and shorelines for future generations.

Ending: Council members joined Jorgensen and his volunteer team for photographs and offered thanks for the volunteer effort maintaining public parks and shorelines.