On Thursday evening May 9, and on Friday, May 10, the Olds Lions Club, with assistance from their partners: the Town of Olds, the five schools and the legion, will coordinate the fourth annual PUG Day (Pick up Garbage Day).
Members of the Lions Club will pick up garbage along the two highways through town. The remaining partners will endeavour to clean some public areas of refuse that has collected during the winter.
Is our intention to pick up all of the loose garbage in town? That is a task that is simply too large for our collective groups.
The Lions Club has assumed a leadership role for PUG Day because stewardship of the environment is one of five needs that Lions Clubs have adopted as targets for their efforts.
To that end we welcome a matching grant from the town that is used by the club for advertising and for the purchase of tablets that are presented in each school to raise the profile of the day in the eyes of the students.
About 25 members of the Lions Club, approximately 1,300 students in five schools, and small groups of adults will spend two to three hours picking up loose garbage found along public roads.
We do not have access to private residential property. What kind of effort would it take for citizens to adopt the spirit of PUG Day and clean up their own neighbourhoods?
We are also restricted from collecting garbage from private commercial property. Such private property does make up a very large portion of our town footprint. Small groups are prepared to clean some commercial property upon request.
Is it possible for citizens to walk around their own community block and pick up loose garbage during the evening of Thursday May 9, or on Friday May 10? Imagine how clean the town would look, even if it were for only a day.
To assist citizens, the Town of Olds will supply garbage bags and gloves that can be picked up at the legion office.
In the coming weeks listen to CKFM 96.5 which provides valuable publicity for this event and read about PUG Day in the Olds Albertan.
Help make this a community event. Can you participate and help to make Olds the cleanest town in Alberta?
Henry Czarnota, chairperson, PUG Day
Olds
