Lake Country students challenge others to clean-up their community
Lake Country, BC – Looking ahead to Earth Day on Monday, April 22, 2024 and recognizing April is designated as Community Clean-Up Month in the Central Okanagan, students at George Elliot Secondary School (GESS) and Ecole H.S. Grenda Middle School (HMS) in Lake Country are planning a special clean-up challenge event for the morning of Saturday, April 27th. They challenge students elsewhere in the region to do the same.
Students at GESS and HMS want to inspire as many people of all ages, businesses, service clubs and organizations to get involved and help clean-up beaches, parks and public spaces around the community, so they are hosting a “Community Clean-up Challenge” the last Saturday of the month. They are inviting everyone that wants to participate to come register at GESS between 9:00-10:00am that day, choose their clean-up location from the mapped areas of the community that could use some attention -- and which are away from busy roads so even the young children can participate with their families -- and then there will be a FREE hot dog lunch for all participants at noon.
“We take pride in our community and it’s really important to develop a mindset of taking care of the earth,” says GESS grade 12 student Farwa Nur. “When I see someone throw garbage on the ground out of their car, it makes me feel like people are losing environmental values. As the next generation of leaders in the community we want to inspire everyone to do their part in looking after the beautiful natural environment we have here in Lake Country.”
“The students at GESS and HMS are really passionate about giving back in the community and stewarding the environment,” says teacher Tim Frechette. “So they came up with the idea of a Community Clean-up Challenge as a fun project for the week of Earth Day this year. They want to get
as many people involved as possible, so they got the students and teachers talking about it at GESS and HS Grenda Middle School. They asked the District of Lake Country and the Regional District of Central Okanagan Waste Reduction Office for some support too; and got the Rotary Club of Lake Country on board to BBQ hotdogs for everyone that participates in event on Saturday, April 27th.”
“Some community organizations such as the Oyama Community Club, the Okanagan Forest Task Force, sports groups and neighbourhoods like The Lakes and others often schedule special clean-up events during April for a specific area of the community,” said Farwa. “And we know Councillor Heather Irvine is well known for picking up litter around many of the streets in Winfield and along the Rail Trail. So we are going to map out areas around high use parks, greenspace trails and lakeshores as well as along Middle Vernon Creek so people can sign-up to participate in an area of the community they love and are passionate about. We think it will bring together people of all ages and interests to show their community spirit and pride. We’re going to have some prize draws too. And who doesn’t like free hot dogs?”
“I’m really inspired by this community clean-up challenge that the students at GESS and HMS are organizing,” said Heather Irvine. “I know people have seen me picking up litter and garbage around the community for a long time. It’s something I feel is really important because I love this community. I appreciate the support and positive words I’ve heard and I’m sure the George Elliot and H.S Grenda students will experience firsthand that support for the April 27th event. I’m confident they will be excellent mentors for the elementary students as well. Let’s keep building that community spirit stronger.”
Everyone is welcome to participate.
Registration will be at the front of George Elliot Secondary School 9:00-10:00 am Saturday, April 27. Volunteers can see the clean-up location maps, sign the participation waiver, pick up garbage bags and plastic gloves and set out as families, neighbours and friends together to pick up litter. There will be designated spots at each location to leave the filled garbage bags and any large items like tires or pieces of old beach furniture etc. so it can be picked up in trucks later and taken to the dump. Then everyone can come back to GESS at noon for a FREE hot dog BBQ and prize draws.
There is also a Pop-up Recycling Depot scheduled for 10:00am – 2:00pm April 27th as part of the Regional Waste Reduction Office’s initiatives to divert glass, soft packaging/flexible overwrap, styrofoam, small electronics etc. from the landfill. So if anyone is doing a clean-up around their home or neighbourhood that week, they can plan to bring all of their depot recycling items to the Pop-up Recycling Depot on Main Street at Hill Rd in Lake Country. There is a prize draw at each of the monthly Pop-up Recycling Depot events and a new e-bike from Lake Country Cycle will be the prize for the whole season with participants from each of the monthly depot events being entered in the grand prize draw at the last Pop-up Recycling Depot in October.
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For more information contact:
GESS Career/Life Programs Coordinator & Athletic Director, Tim Frechette Tim.Frechette@sd23.bc.ca
George Elliot Secondary School 10241 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC
District of Lake Country communications@lakecountry.bc.ca
Regional Waste Reduction Office, Rae Stewart, recycle@rdco.com