Welcome to CVW’s Team Turtle, a dedicated group of monthly donors committed to supporting CVW’s efforts to combat plastic pollution and marine debris in Virginia.
Monthly contributions are vital—they enable us to:
- Fund cleanups
- Conduct essential research
- Support educational initiatives
- Provide our volunteers with the necessary gear to create a positive impact
Your ongoing donation will help sustain our operations, ensuring we have a reliable source of revenue to focus more on our mission of achieving cleaner waterways. Become a member of the Clean Virginia Waterways team by joining Team Turtle and help us work towards cleaner waterways in Virginia!
Loggerhead sea turtle off the Virginia coast. Photo credit: Alexis Rabon
Why Team Turtle? Virginia boasts a rich diversity of wildlife, with various species calling it home year-round while others migrate through. Approximately 24 species of turtles can be found in Virginia, many of which are endangered or threatened. These include the Eastern Box Turtle, North American Snapping Turtle, Diamond-Backed Terrapin, and four types of sea turtles: Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Green, and Leatherback.
Turtles inhabit various waterways throughout Virginia, ranging from freshwater to brackish and saltwater environments. All these turtles rely on clean waterways for their survival! Therefore, Team Turtle supports Clean Virginia Waterways in their mission to maintain Virginia's waterways, ensuring they remain clean and safe for everyone to enjoy!
Being a member of Team Turtle will have its perks: exclusive updates to our work, weekly tips, The Virginia Turtle monthly newsletter (still working on the name), early access to upcoming events, discounts on CVW gear (also coming soon) and more. Join Team Turtle today and be a part of our vision for clean waterways in Virginia.
Diamond-backed terrapin. Photo credit: Christina Trapani
Wayne Matten, CVW’s 1st Recurring Donor
I decided to become a recurring donor to Clean Virginia Waterways because I think a more predictable income stream will help prevent plastic pollution in our waterways. As an avid sailor in Virginia, it is important to me that our waterways are free from marine debris for generations to come. I also wanted to become more involved in volunteering for causes that mean a lot to me. I hope that more retirees will join me in becoming recurring donors and volunteers for Clean Virginia Waterways!"
Christina Trapani, Executive Director, CVW
“I chose to become a monthly donor to Clean Virginia Waterways because, as the Executive Director, I know we can make a difference in the health and sustainability of Virginia’s waterways. I have been involved with CVW for more than 20 years and I am honored to be leading the next chapter of this organization after the incredible work that Katie and Zach did before me. We have a small but mighty staff that work hard to educate, research, build partnerships and get their hands dirty during litter cleanups. With a steady source of revenue from monthly donors, we will be able to focus on the important work knowing we have the resources to do what needs to be done.”
Show your love for Virginia’s Waterways!
Katie Register, Founder, Former Executive Director, CVW
"When I founded Clean Virginia Waterways in 1995, I could not have imagined the front-and-center leadership role the organization would come to play. Today, the new staff and board are outstanding advocates, expanding CVW's outreach and research to tackle the root sources of plastic pollution and marine debris. I am incredibly proud to see CVW's growth into new directions—from statewide and regional leadership to building vital collaborations like the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VP3N).
I continue to support CVW because of its proven track record and efficiency. It is deeply important to me to know that my donations go directly toward impactful initiatives like Keep It Beachy Clean, student engagement, and policy recommendations that protect our waters. I am excited to see this new chapter of leadership drive even more action and partnership across Virginia."
(Katie’s photo was taken during a federally permitted sea turtle release. It is illegal to handle any species of sea turtle without permission from the proper authorities)