Mother Nature may have shifted our plans, but she couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy ASSP Student Section and our volunteers. What started as a rain-date beach cleanup turned into a day of service, mentorship, and a reminder that making a difference isn’t measured by attendance—it’s measured by action.
We kicked off the day the safety professional way with a briefing on sun exposure, heat stress, water hazards, and tick-borne disease prevention before donning our PPE, sunscreen, and bug repellent—all generously provided by our friends at PID Analyzers. Then it was time to get to work, removing four huge bags of trash from Onset Beach and doing our part to protect one of Massachusetts’ coastal gems.
The cleanup was only part of the story. We made some great connections with MSSEP students, learned more about their career aspirations, and even walked away with a new topic idea for next year’s Safety Night. Thanks for the inspiration, Alysse Stasio! It started out cool, but by the end, the conversations were 🔥—and even Gypsie the Alaskan Malamute got in on the fun.
Events like this don’t happen without a strong support network. Thank you to Dr. Heather Burton for championing the MSSEP Student Section, Kevin Glover from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Career Department, and Lauren Lamontagne of Professional Safety Enterprise and Co-Chair of our Greater Boston ASSP WISE Committee for investing in these future safety leaders and supporting their efforts to make a difference.
And because every great volunteer event deserves a great finish, we wrapped things up with freedom fries, calzones, fried clams, pinball, and a barrel of laughs at Marc Anthony’s.
A very special thank you to PID Analyzers and Jennifer McLaughlan for making this impactful community service event possible through their generous support.
The Massachusetts Maritime Academy ASSP Student Section continues to prove that safety leadership extends far beyond the classroom. They’re making an impact on campus, in the profession, and throughout their community.
Protecting people. Protecting places. Building the next generation of safety leaders. 🌊🦺💙