BY DUCK PATERSON
The Ladysmith Sportsmen’s Club is once again planning a huge debris clean-up ahead of Earth Day.
The club is hosting its ninth annual event on Saturday, April 20, starting at the Bush Creek Fish Hatchery, and covering areas around Timberlands Road, Spruston Road and Peerless Road.
Over the eight previous cleanups, more than 123 tonnes of debris have been picked up from the forest floor, creekside and roadside.
“These areas have been covered in the past by our volunteers and now we find ourselves going back to do them over again. It’s quite disheartening,” said Dave Judson, event organizer.
In past years, as many as 120 volunteers have shown up to help.
“It’s great for families to get together and clean an area, there are some that even see who can collect the most [garbage], so it’s fun and a beneficial cause,” Judson said. “Some organizations, like Guides and Scouts, have even shown up, and those are big pluses.”
Volunteers are asked to meet at the hatchery by 9 a.m. for a discussion about the areas to be cleaned up and safety precautions, and distribution of garbage bags and gloves.
Tim Hortons donates coffee, Mosaic Forest Management donates clean-up supplies, and service clubs including local Rotary chapters and the Ladysmith Eagles provide financial support. Radius Recycling, West Coast Hazmat, Xtend Rentals and Ryler Bulk trucking are other supporters, and the Cowichan Valley Regional District and the Regional District of Nanaimo waive tipping fees for the cause.
“If we don’t have the support then this necessary program would not be able to happen,” Judson said. “But the volunteers are the most important ingredient.”
For more information, e-mail judsonboys@shaw.ca or call 250-245-3690.
READ ALSO: Ladysmith Sportsmen’s Club springs into action with annual cleanup