Meet the Site Coordinators of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup: Ajaz Quraishi
Ajaz Quraishi has lived in Cold Lake, Alberta for 27 years. He is an ambassador for the city and has done volunteer work there for every one of those years. Cold Lake is extremely important to Ajaz, and he takes his volunteering very seriously. He loves getting people involved and is a passionate member of his community. That is why you should read on for tips and tales about his adventures as a site coordinator for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. The man is a professional!
Q: When and how did you first get involved in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup?
A: I came across the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup online. I signed up at the website, and the Vancouver Aquarium sent me everything I needed to organize my own cleanup. I know a lot of people in my community because of my involvement in other initiatives. They trust me and support events I organize. Shoreline Cleanup is like riding a bike now – we do it every year, it’s just natural!
Q: What is your favorite thing about this initiative?
A: Organizing it! I love talking to people, going on the radio to promote, and getting people involved and excited. I have 40-50 volunteers each year. The initiative is very well thought out: it’s only 2 hours, so it’s not a huge time commitment. I like to divide people up so that it’s even faster. Another great thing is that if you clean the same shoreline yearly, like we do, the amount of garbage is noticeably lower every time.
Cold Lake cleanup (c) Ajaz Quraishi
Q: How do you encourage people in your community to get involved in cleanups?
A: I go on the radio and morning shows. I like to do a radio show one month before and again the night before the cleanup to remind everyone. People call in and are very involved.
Q: Do you have any tips for new site coordinators?
A: I highly recommend going on your local radio show. It’s great because people can call in and ask you questions. Another thing you should try to organize is for Tim Horton’s to provide food and T-shirts like they do at my cleanups. They are usually happy to be involved and support the cause. Once you register, start talking to radio stations, newspapers, companies (like TD Bank), disabled/community groups – anyone and everyone. People have to know in order to participate, so get the word out and they will register and/or sponsor your event!
Being organized is extremely important as well, both before and during the cleanup. Make sure to ask the city to open the washrooms at the beach (or near wherever you’re cleaning) and coordinate with them to pick up the garbage if possible. My lakeshore is big, so I get people into groups of 4 or 5. Each group has a clipboard and pencil to write down what they pick up.
Ajaz clearly has lots of experience and has given some very good advice. He made a few points that I sure hadn’t thought of! This Saturday marks the beginning of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, so if you have any other tips for your fellow volunteers, feel free to comment here, on Facebook (WWF-Canada), or Twitter (@cleanshorelines). And if you haven’t already, refer four of your friends after you sign up today and you will be eligible to win an iPad2 with Wi-Fi!