JWA Calgary kicks off the first community cleanup

On October 2, 2008, the corporate group from Jacques Whitford AXYS (JWA) Calgary, helped kick off the first community cleanup around the East Village which was organized and coordinated by the Calgary Drop-In Centre (DI).

Staff from both DI and JWA geared up with their latex gloves, large garbage bags, pickers, and orange fluorescent vests for an afternoon of beautiful warm weather and camaraderie. “I think overall the cleanup event was well organized and the staff that mobilized us and took us into the neighbourhood was great! The weather was awesome which made it that much more enjoyable,” said Rod Millar, Project Controller and team member from JWA.

The Clean Up itself involves separating a large group into smaller teams. The teams are then given an area to clean around the DI such as the pathways along the Bow River, Bridgeland area, and the LRT tracks (Calgary’s public transportation system). Each team has a staff member who is knowledgeable of the area and a planned route to be cleaned.

The Centre serves approximately 3,500 meals daily, houses approximately 1,000 people per night and offers many services such as job placement, counseling, computer training, and personal development programs. The idea of this Clean Up originated about two years ago by Alderman Joe Ceci, a longtime resident of Inglewood. Since then, the event has had bi-monthly participation from both clients and staff of the DI. Now this program has moved another step forward and is available for corporations that are interested in volunteer activities at the DI.

Mark Powers, Coordinator of Volunteers said, “I feel that JWA brought a sense of caring when they were out picking up litter in the core. I watched many in my group go to the hard-to-get areas and make sure that the area looked phenomenal when they left. The 90 minutes I was with my group flew by for everyone.”

As a home for many people, the DI takes pride in the hard work of both the internal clients and companies who volunteer for their events. The cleanups mean more than picking up garbage; they are an opportunity for both the clients at the centre and groups like JWA who volunteer for the DI to show that keeping the city green and litter-free is a responsibility that we all share. It also provides great opportunities for clients, volunteers, staff and business owners in the community to get better acquainted with one another and show pride in their city.

For more information, please contact jacqueswhitford.com