On Saturday, April 18th, the Columbia Valley Centre was filled with incredible organizations, businesses and individuals showcasing their work toward improving the sustainability of our beloved valley. The day kicked off with a community clean-up, and the community really showed up by collecting 21 full bags of garbage, 8 bags of recycling and 75lb of scrap metal. More than 60 participants came down and cleaned up around the valley from Wilmer, to the river banks, downtown and the Shuswap area. Folks dispersed to all the usual spots and returned to sort their findings and win instant prizes.
There were workshops from local businesses and community members on the future of energy efficiency in the Columbia Valley, shared lessons on how to organize your fridge to reduce food waste, and empowered folks to make basic bike repairs. Columbia Valley Food & Farm showcased their new “Nourish” food recovery program, providing delicious homemade snacks made with recovered ingredients while discussing the true cost of food waste across Canada. Local repair experts shared knowledge on both electronic repairs as well as sewing, fixing attendees' electronic products and textiles on site. There was a true sense of the strong and resilient community we have here in the Columbia Valley as organizations showcased their ongoing work alongside an interactive, bustling kids zone.
Community members left with smiles as they rode off with refurbished bikes from Bike it Forward — good timing considering the summer Invermere Farmers Market is just around the corner. Wildsight Invermere will return with our free community bike valet this year, helping encourage residents to bike to the market. All in all, it was a great first Earth Day Fair for all involved, and one we hope to continue into the future.
This event is a part of Wildsight’s Columbia Valley SHIFT program which empowers residents to take simple day-to-day actions that shift our community toward a more sustainable future: socially, economically and environmentally. |