On May 7, friends and neighbours can join part of the START YOUR LIFE: Global Give Back Day movement through the inaugural citywide cleanup, the “Rupert Rubbish Roundup.” What makes this cleanup unique is that neighbourhoods will be beautified by their own residents throughout the city.
Organizers Sarah Dantzer and Ashley Hunt facilitated the Earth Day Endeavour on Sunday, April 24 on Overlook and 6th Street East from Ambrose to Plaza street.
Dantzer is a carrier for the Northern View and is using the newspaper’s routes to arrange the city into sectors. “The idea for a city-wide cleanup was inspired by a combination of the Placemaking workshop held by Transition Prince Rupert and the cleanups Positive Prince Rupert Civic Pride facilitates.” Dantzer engaged her neighbours with a rendezvous point to join forces to beautify their neighbourhood this past Sunday.
“In doing it on my street first, it’s giving me an understanding for me how to help coach and facilitate other people to do this. What I’m hoping to do is to inspire other people to participate,” said Dantzer.
Hunt added some encouragement for community members. “In order for this to work on a city scale, community members need to step up as Neighbourhood Stewards. The role of the Neighbourhood Steward is essential; basically this individual will raise awareness and lead their neighbours in the cleanup, with support from our team.” To become a Neighbourhood Steward, you can reach Sarah at (778) 361-0234 or sarahdantzer89@gmail.com.
The Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District Recycle Depot lent bins for the Earth Day Endeavour to encourage and facilitate the recycling of most of the litter.
Dantzer thanked them, “We didn’t want to move garbage from one area of town to another. The support of the recycle depot has made a huge difference in our approach to the cleanup.”