The next time you have fun at the beach in either Ephraim or Baileys Harbor, you can thank a Gibraltar fifth grader. Before leaving the fourth grade this month, students of teacher Justin Burress worked on a service learning project to help benefit the community. An initial brainstorm of ten ideas was whittled down to a pair before they ultimately decided on constructing beach borrow bins. Based on the Little Free Library and Little Free Food Pantry concept, the beach borrow bins give discarded toys a new lease on life and make a day at the beach a little brighter. The students contacted business leaders for donations and municipal employees for permission before building the bins with help from Burress. From start to finish, Burress says it was all the kids.

You can find the beach borrow bins at the south side of Ephraim Beach and at Anclam Park in Baileys Harbor. As long as they are not inflatables that could blow away, Burress encourages you to donate other beach toys by placing them in the bins. 

Photo courtesy of Gibraltar Area Schools