The Homer Wilderness Leaders, or HoWL, annual DiRtBaG Clean-Up week begins Monday, April 21, and will finish with a beach cleanup and awards celebration on Saturday, April 26.

Since 2011, 900 DiRtBaGs have cleaned up 1,720 bags of litter from Homer’s trails, beaches, streets and sidewalks, the HoWL website states. In 2024, 78 youth participants collected 135 bags of garbage.

According to the organization website, the cleanup is scheduled in April after the snow has melted and revealed litter left behind on Homer’s sidewalks, forests, trails and beaches. Program director Molly Mitchell said cleanup participation is open to all youth and families in the community; youth under 8 years old must attend with a family member, but those aged 8 and over are welcome to join a youth crew with a HoWL supervisor on their own or with friends.

After-school cleanups are scheduled for Monday-Friday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. and 4:15-5:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the Bishop’s Beach green; snacks, gloves, safety vests and DiRtBaG T-shirts are provided. Saturday’s beach cleanup will be held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A virtual cleanup option is also available for those unable to join the above scheduled times. Virtual participants can pick up trash bags, gloves and Homer maps from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies office, located at 708 Smoky Bay Way, and should notify organizers of their chosen cleanup locations and how much trash they collect.

All youth participants are also eligible for prizes and DiRtBaG awards — including who picked up the most trash, got the dirtiest, or exemplified teamwork and leadership — which will be given out during Saturday’s celebration.

HoWL is also looking for adult volunteers to help supervise and drive crews to litter locations, provide snacks, and assist with Saturday’s awards celebration. To volunteer, contact Mitchell at howl@howlalaska.org or 907-399-HOWL.

Local businesses and community members are invited to support the program and participants by donating to DiRtBag and HoWL scholarships.

Tickets are also available for purchase on the program website for the HoWL DiRtBaG Raffle; enter for a chance to win a bear viewing trip to Brooks Falls.

For more information on participating in Clean-Up Week or supporting DiRtBaGs, visit www.howlalaska.org/clean-up-week.