This year’s City-wide spring clean-up program, Green Deer, was a success with volunteers from businesses, community associations, schools, clubs, churches, families and individuals coming together to clean up garbage in Red Deer.

“The late start, due to a miserable April, did not deter the volunteers from coming out. We were happy with the numbers and I can’t thank Red Deerians enough for taking such pride in their community.

“Together, we are making a difference,” said Suzanne Jubb, community and program facilitator. “Green Deer may be over, but we can still pick up litter year round and develop a ‘leave it better than you found it’ attitude as a way of life.”

The annual Red Deer River clean-up which took place June 3rd was also a success with 150 participants removing 97 bags of garbage from the river valley, which equates to about 1,200 lbs. of trash.

Each year as a part of Green Deer, the City gives away free pocket ashtrays.

Using these ashtrays helps keep cigarette butts off of our streets and sidewalks as they do not biodegrade and are harmful to the environment.

“We would like to thank the Downtown Business Association and the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce for increasing awareness of the program,” said Jubb.

“Many local businesses encourage their staff to keep Red Deer beautiful with a spring clean-up in their parking lots and surrounding areas.”

Sports organizations can also get involved in Green Deer year round to help keep their fields, pitches and play areas clean. All sport teams are challenged to spend 10 minutes tidying the stands, fields and dressing rooms and to leave the area better than they found it following their games.

Now that Green Deer is wrapped up, there are other ways for Red Deerians to keep their City green.

The Adopt-A-Park program runs year-round with individuals or groups making a commitment to being stewards of a specific park or area for an entire year.

Currently there are 31 groups registered in the program and it continues to grow. For more information on the Adopt-a-Park program, contact the Parks department at 403-342-8234.

For residents looking for another opportunity to make a difference, the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up takes place on Sunday, Sept. 9th.

For more information, visit www.reddeer.ca/greendeer.

Green Deer partners include Save-On Foods, Tim Horton’s, Canadian Tire, Real Country/Zed 98.9 and the City of Red Deer.

-Submitted by the City of Red Deer