If there were any doubt about the impact volunteers can have on the community, look no further than Chantal Bolton and the work of those involved with Positive Prince Rupert.
Rather that griping on the street or taking their displeasure with the cleanliness of the community to social media, which has a questionable impact at best, Bolton and others concerned about the state of some parts of the North Coast put their money where their mouths are and did something about it.
Every Saturday for the past several weeks, these every-day residents have taken time out of their weekend to clean up a particularly untidy area. They’re not being paid for it and they weren’t seeking recognition for it. They saw a problem and became the solution and, through a few hours every Saturday, made a difference in the place they call home.
But they’re not only cleaning up Prince Rupert, they’re shining a spotlight onto the issue of community pride. The photos on the Positive Prince Rupert Facebook page — including a truckfull of garbage bags taken from Moresby Park on Saturday — show just how uncaring some people can be with their garbage.
It was great to see the Prince Rupert RCMP and Mayor Dave MacDonald of Port Edward recognizing the efforts of this group because far too often the hours people put into improving the quality of life on the North Coast go unnoticed and underappreciated. Whether it is the Prince Rupert Special Events Society and all they do for Seafest, Children’s Fest and Winterfest or service clubs like the Lions and Rotary who quietly support projects for various community groups, volunteers play a big role in Prince Rupert and Port Edward.
It doesn’t take a lot of money to make a difference. In a lot of cases all it takes is the giving of time.
Prince Rupert needs more community-oriented people like Chantal and the Positive Prince Rupert group. And those on the outside looking in need to let our community volunteers know their efforts are appreciated.