OLDS — The sixth Pick Up Garbage Day in Olds generally appeared to be a success, according to Henry Czarnota of the local Lions Club.
That club organized the May 27 event with help from the Town of Olds.
“I don’t get to see all of the school action and what the seniors do, but from the Lions perspective, I guess it went well. We had quite a few people from our club involved," Czarnota said.
All five schools in the community were contacted to participate in the cleanup, as they have in previous years.
One school ended up doing its cleanup on Monday, May 30 because some its students were on a field trip on Friday, he said.
Local residents were given the opportunity to do their cleanup the evening of May 26, the afternoon of May 27, or during the weekend (May 28 and 29) if they wished.
Town staff helped out by providing garbage bags and gloves to members of the public and the Lions Club, arranging to pick up garbage bags at selected sites and advertising the event through the newspaper and social media.
The club budgeted $2,000 for the project.
At the club’s request, town council agreed to provide $1,000 to help cover costs for newspaper advertising and the purchase of five tablets to be used as prizes at each of the schools participating in the event.
There were “some difficulties getting started again” because COVID restrictions during the past couple of years, he said.
“Last year we had to postpone because of weather and such and there were COVID fears that were significant last year that are diminishing, but they’re not totally gone," he said.
“To some extent, it was like starting all over again, because the town has new people and the schools have new people."
Another problem was that the Lions Club started organizing for the event later than they normally have.
“The communications and that sort of thing were short-term. I think next year we’ll make a commitment to get at it real soon,” he said.
He’d also like to see more awareness about PUG Day among Olds residents and more involvement among local businesses.
“It seems to me that the entity in the community that benefits the most is indeed the business community, because often the garbage comes from their places,” he said.
“I know they have no control over what the clients do with the paper cups, etc. But any time you can clean up in front of the businesses it’s probably a benefit and a bonus, right?
“It was better than last year, but we can get better. I was a little disheartened the last few years but the club says it’s something we should keep doing and so we’re going to keep it up and just try to get better at it.”
