The Coast Kids and the Assateague entered the first ever ACT parade float in the Berlin Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 4. The nighttime parade was aglow with hundreds of floats, marching bands and fire truck brigades. While our little truck and boat may have lacked some ‘wattage’, our Coast Kids and their parents lit up the night with enthusiasm and excitement.

The Coast Kids spent the better part of the summer and fall cutting, painting, and laminating all the beautiful paper Menhaden fish. The following message was broadcast aloud to the audience and judges as we paraded past the crowd on Main Street in downtown Berlin:

"Assateague Coastal Trust was established in 1970 to fight against commercial development of Assateague Island. The island’s pristine landscape today is testimony of ACT’s success. Now we work to protect not only Assateague Island, but the entire Atlantic Coastal Bays watershed, to keep our waterways fish-able and swim-able.

Our Coastkeeper program is an ‘on-the-water monitor’ and an ‘in-the trenches advocate’ for the health of the coastal bays. Assateague Coastal Trust is committed to spreading our message and values to the next generation of environmental stewards through our Coast Kids program."

The Coast Kids decorated our float with menhaden fish, which are native to our coastal bays.
Their message was: "When we school together, we can accomplish great things for our environment."

A fun time was had by all!!