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Joining forces to clean up for Earth Day

Thanks to a few determined men, Ponoka has joined with Earth Day Canada to get garbage off our streets for the week of April 17 to April 22 in honor of international Earth Day.

By Jasmine Franklin

Thanks to a few determined men, Ponoka has joined with Earth Day Canada to get garbage off our streets for the week of April 17 to April 22 in honor of international Earth Day.

Maurice Mazurat and Bob Podritske of Ponoka decided it was high time the community became officially involved in Earth Day clean-up efforts. So, after contacting Earth Day Canada, Ponoka is now registered as a participant of the national and international movement to save Earth.

“This will be the first annual clean up here for Earth Day,” Mazurat said. “It started just by talking about doing a little cleanup project but one thing led to another and we wound up here.”

With “Ponoka Pride,” boy scouts, cubs, and students will take part in cleaning up the community throughout the week. It is required by Earth Day Canada that a cleanup project or environmental project be conducted during the course of the week.

“One of the biggest reasons for this is to set an example for others in the community,” Mazurat said. “These are the first steps to cleaning up and we hope that other communities will get on board.”

Businesses or individuals wishing to get involved are able to register until April 17.

The community has been supportive of the project. The Ponoka and District and Chamber of Commerce helped to push the project through the community and ATB Financial provided 200 safety vests for children to wear while cleaning the streets and highways. Mazurat said Tim Hortons will provide T-shirts and Shoppers Drug Mart, along with R.A Barr Professional Corp, have supplied 1,000 pairs of gloves.

Next year, Mazurat said there will be more public involvement with environmental presentations held at the community centre. Due to limited time, organizers were not able to plan for that this year.

Earth Day Canada is a national environmental charitable organization that includes thousands of community organizers in every sector working for a positive change. Their mission is to improve the state of the environment by motivating and helping individual Canadians to take positive environmental action.

April 22 is international Earth Day.

To sign up for the clean up, contact Mazurat at (403) 783-0703 or Podritske at (403) 783-5594.