SAN FRANCISCO — The Academy of Art University men's golf team got into the sand on purpose last month, giving back to the community by volunteering with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to clean up the east beach of Crissy Field.
 
The recent drought in California contributed to grass at the Crissy Field east beach dying off, exposing weed matting that had been layed 10-12 years ago when the organization did the rehab of Crissy Field.
 
"I was interested in my guys doing a beach clean project and I stumbled across the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy," said Academy of Art men's golf head coach Andy Moren. "This organization has many different types of projects throughout the city."
 
The ART U golfers raked the beach and filtered the matting through giant sifters that took two-man teams to separate the material from the sand. Making the job even more tedious was the recent rain that made the material wet and tangled with grass. But in a matter of three hours, the team filled 16 five-gallon buckets full of material to be removed from the beach.
 
"We are chronically short-staffed, so some of these projects that are time-consuming we save for volunteers to help us with," said Laura Elze, the GGNRA Maintenance Division Volunteer Coordinator. "The men's golf team did a great job and helped protect natural and cultural resources at the park."
 
Elze said the Urban Knights' work at the beach would go a long way in helping the environment, wildlife and benefit visitors to the park.
 
"There are environmental benefits for one," said Elze. "The matting is light and very easily wind driven. Gulls and other birds that frequent the parking area might mistake it for food or ingest it on accident."
 
"I think the team enjoyed the idea of working together and doing something productive that helps out the parks and rec department," said Moren. "We are looking forward to helping out at future events with the GGNPC."