Saturday was a good day in the Comox Valley; a good day, celebrated by some very good citizens.
The inaugural Comox Valley Community Clean-up was a resounding success, with in excess of 16,000 pounds of illegally discarded garbage picked up and hauled away to the landfill.
It didn’t take long; many volunteers were home for lunch. But the sense of pride and accomplishment was one that was shared by all (estimated) 75 people who converged at the Courtenay & District Fish & Game Club for the morning.
And the day wasn’t contained to those who met at the Fish & Game Club.
There were reports of people chipping in all over the Comox Valley.
We received a report of one group along 19A near Spindrift Road outside of Union Bay. We had another call asking if there was a truck available to pick up a mass clean-up of the ravine on Curtis Road. (We made sure the load was taken to the landfill.)
There were undoubtedly many sore backs and aching muscles Saturday evening, but sore in a good way.
We pulled engine blocks (three in total) from dump sites. We found couches, mattresses, stoves and air conditioners.
It was, although satisfying to re-beautify our community, equally as disgusting to realize there are people out there who feel they have the right to illegally dump their trash.
What happened Saturday was the start of a movement. Will it resolve the problem? No. We aren’t that naive. But it is a start. And there are ways to combat the criminals who feel a sense of entitlement to trash our land.
It’s a long process, but to see that many people interested in paying more than lip service is encouraging.
Thank you to everyone who contributed in any way to the re-beautifying of our Comox Valley on Saturday. And to those who made the day necessary in the first place, fate is not the only fickle mistress. Karma is as well.