Teresa Cowan and good friend Greg Balogh have organized a cleanup in the hills behind the Dividend Ridge subdivision off of Fairwinds Drive starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 21. The Town of Osoyoos has also organized a community cleanup event and is asking residents to volunteer their time on April 24 to help clean up 146 Avenue. Photo by Keith Lacey
The Town of Osoyoos is hoping local residents will join millions of Canadians next week by taking part in Canada Pitch-In Week.
“Pitch-in week is a national program that runs from April 23-30 and it’s to bring awareness on litter, recycling, reducing our footprint and a little bit of community pride,” said Sarah Dynneson, recreational programmer with the Sonora Community Centre.
In Osoyoos, there are two different clean-up events planned during pitch-in week.
First, the town has invited residents to join in the clean up that has already been planned for the end of Fairwinds Drive in the Dividend Ridge subdivision on Saturday, April 21.
Second, the town is asking residents to come together on April 24 to help clean up 146 Avenue.
Dynneson said the Osoyoos Desert Society brought it to her attention that this area is in desperate need of a clean up because of all the garbage people lose while transporting loads to the local dump.
“We chose that one to kind of highlight the importance of securing your load when you’re heading up there,” said Dynneson. “Just bringing awareness that it is a used area and we should be trying to keep it clean and tidy.”
Dynneson said she has no idea how many people they’re expecting to take part in either clean up, but she said the more the merrier.
In an effort to attract a few more bodies, the Sonora Community Centre is promoting a contest where residents attempt to guess the total weight of the garbage being collected from both clean ups.
The person with the closet guess will be rewarded with a $100 gift certificate to Terrafina Restaurant at Hester Creek Winery.
The Osoyoos Desert Society is also offering free day passes to the Desert Centre for anyone who takes part in the April 24 clean up.
Anyone looking for more information on the two community clean ups can contact Dynneson at 250-495-4623 or visit the town website at www.osoyoos.ca.
