In the summer of 2016, SSIO Canada partnered with the nonprofit organization, Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, to restore a stretch of the Rouge River. The initiative emerged as a national program in 2002 from the aspirations of a group of employees and volunteers in 1994 from the Vancouver Aquarium who took on the ambitious project to clean up their local beach at Stanley Park. The program has provided all Canadians the opportunity to make a difference in their local communities. The objective is to preserve the fragile ecosystems across the nation’s shoreline by removing the litter that has accumulated over the years.

On July 16, 2016 at 9 AM, 15 young adults and 8 adults from Ontario Regions 1 and 2 came together to clean up the pollution found across the shoreline and in the Rouge River. In total, six bags of garbage and four bags of recycling were collected while covering a distance spanning approximately two kilometres across the shoreline. As members of the Sai community, it was heartwarming to see the amount of positive impact after just two hours of clean up. The garbage scattered around shorelines and in our waterbodies severely compromise both our health and the health of the environment. Our contribution that morning provided us with the hope that continued initiatives such as this, spearheaded by every individual, can significantly reduce pollution across the world.

The nonprofit organization provided the following feedback and shared their gratitude to SSIO Canada for their participation in the event. Over the past ten years, the organization has seen over a three-fold increase in the number of volunteers and litter that has been collected. This demonstrates the growing interest among citizens to ensure that we protect and preserve the delicate environment we live in. As Sathya Sai Baba once said, You have it in your power to make your days on Earth a path of flowers, instead of a path of thorns.

As a Site Coordinator, you’re part of a growing team of volunteers across Canada. We’re still adding up the data but so far you have:

• Empowered 75,000+ participants
• Helped organize 2,300 cleanups
• Filled 17,000+ bags of trash and recycling!

I can’t wait to connect with you in the New Year. Happy holidays!
Tanya,
Volunteer Engagement Coordinator