On behalf of the Fraser Valley Salmon and Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Society I would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers that attended the two BC Rivers’ Day celebrations and river cleanups (Worlds Rivers’ Day) on the Fraser River Saturday and Chilliwack-Vedder River on Sunday.
Through the efforts of these wonderful volunteers, thousands of pounds of garbage, dumped by careless people over the last several months were removed from our precious waterways, the Fraser and Chilliwack-Vedder River, thus preventing this material from being washed down to the Salish Sea during the next spring freshet and high water events. This also makes us feel better to see a clean environment for the thousands of visitors and fishers that travel from all over the world to fish these waterways in Chilliwack, which I like to call the freshwater fishing capital of the world.
We were very also encouraged to see many young people attend these cleanups as that is good news for the future for they may care for our rivers and waterways better than some users do these days.
For those who could not attend these cleanups we ask them when they are out there, along these rivers, that they do a little cleanup as we can all make a difference, a little at a time.
Also thanks to all the local businesses that supplied food and prizes for the cleanups, too numerous to name. Also a big thanks to our main sponsors, City of Chilliwack, Fraser Valley Regional District, Clancy’s Meats, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, George Shaw from Chilliwack Tim Hortons, Chilliwack Fish And Game Protective Association, Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve, First Class Disposal, West End Auto Body, Go Audio, Shaw TV Chilliwack, Star FM, News 1130 Vancouver, our musician Katherine Langille, to the groups that brought displays and also of course to the directors of the Fraser Valley Salmon Society and Chilliwack-Vedder River Cleanup Society who put these cleanups all together.
Special thanks goes to reporter Jennifer Feinberg and photojournalist Jenna Hauck both of the Chilliwack Progress for covering these cleanups over the years.
Chris Gadsden
FVSS director and CVRCS chair