School groups found recyclables stint at BIRD fun and rewarding

The Bowen Island Community School Association (CSA) and the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) are wrapping up our 10-week opportunity of operating the refundable beverage containers at Bowen Island Recycling Depot on June 30. It really has been an amazing experience, sometimes sticky and a tiny bit smelly … but always fun. There are many people that we would like to thank for helping out with this new playground structures fundraising effort.

First we would like to thank Dave and Louise McIntosh for the opportunity to take care of the refundables. Without their creation of this initiative, the many island groups who have had this opportunity would be scrambling around trying to find other means of raising money. Dave is pretty certain that he began this in 2000. The only stipulation he had with regard to groups operating the refundables was that they are from Bowen Island and that monies raised be used for worthwhile causes. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

The CSA and PAC were very fortunate to have a core team of five volunteers who were responsible for refundables for one day of the week for 10 weeks. Ten weeks is a long time and this team was remarkable in their diligence and, I am excited to say, have already re-committed for next year. This team included: Toni Leverett, Rosemarie Leverton, Diana Ray, Mary Ann Zakreski and Katherine Gish.

Each of us found many willing friends and family to help us out: Claire Leverton, Collene Huskisson, Beth Turner, Jack Turner, Susan Scrivens, Kim Eifler, Emily McCullum, Ellie Mackay, Damian Leverton, Dixie Cowl, Riley King, Lizzie King, Kayla King, Mika Tubinshlak, Shayle Duffield, Anne Wilson, Kim Kasasian and the other B.I.R.D. volunteers who often spontaneously helped out during their shifts (particularly Bill Carr, who was always popping by with advice to help us be even more efficient). I also want to bestow the title ‘honorary core team volunteer’ to Phil Kemp who was there helping me every Sunday throughout the 10 weeks. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you; we couldn’t have done it without you.

This has been an educational experience in the power of community. It seems like nothing to drop of a box or two of refundable beverage containers but when members of the community do so in the quantity that we experienced, well … it was really something. So thank you to everyone who donated refundables to our fundraising effort, and thank you for the many words of encouragement you often offered as we sorted our way toward an updated playground.

We now pass the refundable torch to CAWES and wish them best of luck during the summer months.

Katherine Gish