Similar to how simple living folk have embraced the term white trash (thank you Kid Rock!), there's a celebrated group of Put-in-Bay boaters who have coined themselves Docktrash.

"About 18 years ago, there was a whole bunch of us that would go over to Put-in-Bay and hang out on B dock," said Docktrash Administrator Mirna Funkhouser. "We all became very close friends. But I guess you'd say the people on the island started calling us Docktrash because we'd sit out on the docks and everybody would be drinking, playing games, listening to music and just socializing.

"We would never leave the docks and go into town. We'd bring our boat and hangout on the dock and then leave. People started calling us Docktrash, so we started calling ourselves Docktrash and over the years it just kind of caught on. Now everybody wants to be part of Docktrash."

What originally started out as a dozen or so people has swelled to over 200 Docktrash members, with satellite groups now found on Kelleys Island and the mainland. While there is no formal membership or dues, the group stays in touch via e-mail and its Web site to announce upcoming get-togethers, which are usually tied around a charity event.

"About 17 years ago, we started a winter party in January to get everybody together (in the off season)," Funkhouser said. "Initially, we had it in Fremont, with probably 50 to 60 coming. Now it has grown to 300 people who get together every winter and about eight years ago we started formalizing other events around Docktrash.

"Anybody that's a boater or friends with a boater or enjoys boating, can join up. There is no admission fee.

Funkhouser can't say enough about the sense of family felt among Docktrash members, who over the past decade or so have watched each other's children grow up while celebrating life on beautiful Lake Erie. Funkhouser, a North Ridgeville native and Sandusky resident, met her husband Doug at Docktrash.

Apparently the group has become a popular dating service, with nearly 30 couples tying the knot after meeting through the summertime fun activities.

"It's really for anybody who enjoys boating and is looking for a group of people to do stuff with on a regular basis," Funkhouser said. "We do a lot of boat trips. We've taken three large boat trips to Wisconsin and Florida. And we're not limited to young or older people. We even have non-boaters that are part of us."

She added, "It's a good group of people."

For more information, visit www.docktrash.com.