On June 11, 2016 the Newcomer Leadership Program at David Thompson Secondary organized an event that had more than 50 community members attend. Families, seniors, and youth participated in collecting over 40 bags of garbage in a neighbourhood clean-up. From Victoria Drive to Elliot Street and from 49th to 41st Ave, volunteers worked hard with their team captains to clear the sidewalk and streets of litter. This was followed by a BBQ where participants gathered to celebrate their accomplishments and socialized with fellow volunteers.
The idea to have the Make South Vancouver Spectacular event was the brainchild of the Newcomer Leadership program at David Thompson Secondary. After brainstorming together, newcomers at the school felt their community needed a clean-up effort to address the increasing garbage on the streets. The group got together to apply for a neighborhood small grant. A group of eight leaders reached out to the community to engage individuals and families to join the event. The leaders also communicated with the City of Vancouver to gather the necessary equipment for the clean-up. They even went shopping together in local grocery stores to purchase sustainable meats for the BBQ.
Clean-up teams reported that residents in the community came out of their homes and cars to thank the volunteers for their efforts. Passersby also offered encouragements to the team by cheering “good job!” as they saw the clean-up efforts.
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