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Student Resource
Seasons in the City
Local governments often depend on volunteers to
contribute to programs and events that make the city a
better place to live. The volunteer newsletter article below
describes the Adopt a Block program, which encourages
residents, businesses and community groups to adopt a
block in their community or business area and keep it
litter-free during the summer.
How do individuals benefit from participating in
community cleanups How do their neighbourhoods
and the city benefit
In what ways do the City’s cleanup programs provide
opportunities for short, simple actions that one person
can take
Kirby – who also patrols her own neighbourhood
halfway across the city – hadn’t seen her old friend
in years…. It was the City of Edmonton’s program
to reduce litter and graffiti vandalism that reunited
them.
Capital City Clean Up
Reunites Old Friends
If you’re Marilyn Kirby and Jan Stemo, a passion for
the environment and a litter-free neighbourhood
brings you back together.
“I’d volunteered to stuff Adopt-a-Block kits and
when I walked into the boardroom, lo and behold,
there was Marilyn,” says Stemo, who has been
picking up litter around her home for Capital City
Clean Up’s Adopt-a-Block program since 2007.
Not only do they prepare the kits for the
thousands of Adopt-a-Block volunteers, but also
independently signed up to help at the city’s graffiti
vandalism conference last fall.
“Now I coordinate with Jan to get together on the
same days when we’re doing our volunteering, or
we’ll arrange to meet [for lunch] before we go in,”
says Kirby.
Volunteering at something like Capital City is all
about connecting, adds Stemo. “It’s important
for all round good health for yourself and
your community. You’re getting to know your
neighbours, and some of them are really appreciate
and will tell you. It’s really about connections.”
National Volunteer Week Newletter April 15-21, 2012
Make A Better City 99