Dularge Trash Bash scheduled for March 16

Goal of event is to collect 2 tons of trash from Bayou Dularge, organizers say.

Courtesy Wendy Billiot

The seventh annual Bayou Dularge Trash Bash is scheduled for March 16, and organizers hope to collect as much as two tons of from the popular waterway.

“We started this in 2006 due to the marine debris from (Hurricanes) Katrina and Rita,” Capt. Wendy Billiot, one of the founders of the clean-up effort, said. “A friend of mine, Capt. John Verret, and I started this together.

“The first year, we had 25 people in attendance. The second year we had 50; the third, 75.”

In 2011, the Dularge Trash Bash had a turnout of 100 participants and two dogs. Two 30-yard roll-off dumpsters were filled to capacity in five hours, equating to nearly 3 tons of trash out of Bayou Dularge.

Billiot plans to trump those numbers for this year’s event.

“It starts at 7 a.m.,” Billiot said. “Participants will start at Jug’s near the end of Highway 315, and will work their way up and down the bayou, picking up as much trash as possible.”

Participants are encouraged to use their own boats during the cleanup, but they will be allowed to hop aboard with someone else or be a part of the offload crew.

Dularge locals will cook for participants, and Jug’s Seafood will be offering free meals to everyone helping in the event. There will also be drawings for door prizes after the cleanup. Door prizes will include rods and reels, ice chests, fishing trips and gift cards, according to Billiot.

“I’m excited to say that we will even have a (military amphibious) landing craft to use as transport for participants and trash to the dumpsters this year,” Billiot said.

She said the event was designed to spawn similar events around the area.

“When we started, we were hoping that the concept would spread to the other bayous surrounding Houma,” Billiot said. “I’m happy to say that Bayou Little Caillou is now in their third annual clean up.

“The idea is taking off and spreading, and that really is a great thing.”