Meet the site coordinators of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup: Sharren Grant
Where do you live? I live in the Edmonton area, but originally I am from Courtenay, BC on Vancouver Island.
(c) Sharren Grant
When and how did you first get involved in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup? I first became aware of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup in 2008, however circumstances at the time didn’t allow for me to become involved just yet. Then in 2009 I was finally ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work! So after enlisting the help of my family and friends, I signed up at www.shorelinecleanup.ca and registered as a Site Coordinator for a cleanup at Hermitage Park Ponds in Edmonton, AB and I’ve been doing this every September since.
What made you want to participate in the Shoreline Cleanups? My mom taught my siblings and I from a young age about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling as much and as often as we could, as well as living our lives in a sustainable way, so I’ve always been interested in environmental initiatives that enable awareness of these types of issues, and encourage members of the community to make a difference in their own backyards. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is just another fantastic example of a grassroots initiative that I feel very proud to be a part of every year.
What is your favorite thing about this initiative? Besides the obvious positive impact we have had by removing harmful litter from local waterways, what I love most about it is how much fun we have – even when the weather has turned ugly in the past, everybody’s spirits remained high, they all had smiles on their faces and it was very apparent how happy and excited everybody was to see the results of our hard work at the end of the day. There’s so much laughter and enjoyment and lots of ideas being tossed around and the dynamic of it all is absolutely empowering. Also seeing the kids really enjoying themselves while helping out towards a good cause is another huge benefit – our kids represent the future so I feel it is imperative that we teach them from a young age that they CAN make a difference even if it’s just one piece of litter picked up at a time.
How do you encourage people in your community to get involved in cleanups? Every year mostly through word-of-mouth, I try to encourage everybody that I know (family, friends, co-workers) to come join us in cleaning up a local shoreline in September. I find that if you can relate them to what we’re doing and how it benefits them as individuals as well as globally, that people will become more passionate about it and seem to be more willing to get a little dirty for a good cause. Also, each year I have tried to expand my horizons by engaging people that I don’t know in conversations about what we do, what is involved and how they can help. Last year we had the privilege of welcoming a few new faces and I’m hoping that this year that trend continues. Also I try to be a shoreline superstar every day of the year by picking up litter anywhere I see it, reducing my use of unnecessary product packaging and by encouraging everyone I know to do the same.
Do you have any tips for new site coordinators? Take care of your volunteers, and feed them well! Any successful volunteer-driven event is made possible by happy volunteers and happy volunteers have full tummies, and happy volunteers will more than likely be RETURNING volunteers! I know from talking with past participants that it is a huge perk for them that they don’t have to worry about feeding themselves (or their families) when they give up a day in their lives to help cleanup local shorelines. So each year we have a BBQ in the park after the cleanup… this is my way of saying thank you to all my participants for their hard work and I truly believe that it’s probably the most important part of the event every year, as it also gives everybody a chance to relax, socialize with new participants, talk about the events of the day and our plans for next year.
