Driving into town last Saturday morning, I saw several men in yellow safety vests combing through the bushes and grass that line both sides of Gillan Road. It had all the appearances of a search for something, but the subject of the search was initially a mystery.
I drove past these guys and found a bunch of different guys, in the same vests, a ways down the road from the first group, and it was then that their efforts became clear. These men, seemingly of their own volition, had decided to make an effort to collect litter and garbage carelessly and thoughtlessly discarded by others along this roadway.
All told, there were about a dozen of these guys, and my only conclusion was that they had organized themselves to do something about a problem that existed that was not of their making.
There are plenty of things a guy could do with his day off on a weekend, and picking up somebody else’s garbage would rarely make the list. But there they were, 10 o’clock on a Saturday morning, doing just that. I don’t know if they made other efforts elsewhere in Horton Township, or if there were perhaps other crews at other locations doing the same thing, but regardless, my reaction would have been the same:
“Way to go, boys!”
These guys weren’t just walking up and down the shoulder. They were in the tall grass, the bushes, the ditch, places where it can get a little down and dirty. And if you’re wondering just how much garbage could possibly be found along about a kilometre of Gillan Road, I’m sad to say you’d be surprised. When I came back that way less than two hours later, there was a significant pile of garbage bags and larger trash that had been stacked up by the old alfalfa plant awaiting pickup for proper disposal.
So I just want to thank these guys, none of whom I recognized, for taking the time to make a positive contribution by cleaning up the mess left by thoughtless others.
Which brings me to Martha Scott.
One day I’m getting out of my car, putting the leash on my dog, and getting ready for our morning sniff and watering session along Veterans’ Memorial Drive. From the parking lot where I stash my car, I see movement in the creek bed foliage to my left. I think I see what I believe to be the head of a person struggling in the creek. I move closer to get a better look, uncertain as to what I might find, and readying myself for whatever pandemonium might be on offer in the creek.
It’s Martha Scott wrestling with a No Frills shopping cart, trying to extract it from the creek where somebody thought it might be funny to toss it. I call out to her, something like “Martha, what in the hell are you doing?”
I should have known. I’ve seen Martha cleaning up the sidewalks and off-sidewalks that line Veterans’ more than once. I once even commented to her about her civic contribution to keeping the place clean. She kind of laughed and said it filled the time.
But a titanic struggle with a shopping cart in a creek bed? That’s the kind of stuff civic heroes are made of. After she assured me that everything was okay in the creek, I then noticed a pile of debris in the corner of the parking lot. Martha’s pile of debris, placed there and organized in such a way as to be picked up later, maybe even by Martha herself.
Obviously, it would be my wish that people wouldn’t trash the place to begin with, but I guess it’s too much to expect people to have that much respect for themselves and others. So I’m left to thanking Martha, the Safety Vest Guys, and anybody else who takes it upon themselves to step up when others step down. Thank you for your efforts and your example. If not for you, our little part of the world would be a dirtier place. Thank you for caring.
I’d give a shout-out to local high schools who, I believe, dedicate a part of an afternoon every year, maybe on Earth Day, to go out into their surrounding neighbourhoods doing the same thing. Except high school students, unfortunately, are more than likely the main culprits, especially along the Millennium Trail. Not all high schoolers by any means, but like any other population, the small number of those who just don’t give a shit about anything other than themselves and who bring shade onto the rest of the population. My apologies and thanks to all high school students, and elementary as well, who do have some appreciation as to what it means to be a good citizen.
The difference is that Martha and The Yellow Vests (sounds like a far-right protest band) didn’t trash the place in the first place. They’re not cleaning up their own mess, rather they’re cleaning up the mess of others.
So whoever you are, whatever you are, if you don’t throw shit on the ground when you’re done with and if you don’t chuck shopping carts in the creek, and any manner of other destructive behaviours, thank you for being precisely the way you ought to be. And to Martha and The Boys and everyone else who cares enough to make things right again, thank you.
Right on, boys! And Martha too!
NEWSMAGRENFREW 