Twenty-five cents. Is it Worth It?

TODAY, I EARNED TWENTY-FIVE CENTS picking trash from the sidewalk and boulevard along my 1,000-metre trek from 4^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue along Dogwood Street. I get beeps, waves and thumbs-up gestures from people in their vehicles. I smile back. At my halfway point, I stop and check on the condition of Bonnie the Birch, our Adopt-a-Block mascot. Today, she surprised me with a shiny quarter at the base of her trunk.

“Thank you, Bonnie,” I said.

I heard someone approaching from behind and turned to see a pleasant looking women walking at a quick pace. She stopped beside me.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Good morning,” I said.

“You do a good job. You probably get good exercise too,” she said.

“Thanks. I like being outside in this weather,” I said.

She patted me on the back and continued on her swift stride.

I carried on, kicking my plastic bucket along the sidewalk, reaching around for discarded stuff and humming a familiar tune.

♫ Always Look on the Bright Side of Life ♫ by Monty Python

It's worth it.

Winter Bonnie

IN ALL THE EXCITEMENT of having our photograph taken with Bonnie the Birch, our Adopt-a-Block mascot, it caused me to make a short movie about her life, so far, in the winter months. As luck would have it, we got a beautiful covering of snow which hides the trash for a short while.

Bonnie the Birch and her volunteers

Behold, Service is Joy

OUR NEW FRIEND, Ms. Sian Thomson, a reporter with Courier-Islander, took time from her busy schedule to recognize the Adopt-a-Block volunteers on Friday, December 14, 2012.

We gathered at Bonnie the Birch, our faithful mascot on Dogwood Street, and had our photo taken with her. We held on securely to our garbage tongs, some of us sported a Visi-Vest while others clutched garbage bags. It was sunny enough for some to wear sunglasses.

The newspaper posted a short-version tale of our passion for removing trash from the sidewalks and boulevards of Campbell River. Some volunteer enthusiasts have adopted empty lots and corner plots. Tidying up is what makes us feel good.

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. 

I acted and behold, service was joy.

Rabindranath Tagore

Service can bring great joy.