When it’s time to call for Earth Day volunteers, you know spring is pretty much here.
Graham Starsage is the Earth Day 2018 organizer. A busy man (his day job is general manager and curator of the Nicholas Sonntag Marine Education Centre at Gibsons Public Market), he and his Roberts Creek Community Association committee members seem unfazed by the task ahead. They’ll coordinate dozens of volunteers, 50-plus booths run by non-profit and community organizations, roving musicians, speakers, food vendors, raffles, information seminars and an expected crowd of 1,500. Organizers ask you to walk, bike or take the bus if possible. BC Transit will again offer their special “musical” buses to the Creek, running from Davis Bay and Sunnycrest Mall all day. And, making an appearance again this year is the wildly popular bike repair shop. A call for volunteer mechanics has already gone out from Transportation Choices (TraC) directors Martin Prestage and Mark Wilson: “Must be time to wrench some bikes for free in the coldest, wettest and largest bike shop in Western Canada (for a day). Half or full day shift available. Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, Roberts Creek Pier. Contact [email protected] or 604-837-5943.”
What began as an inspired idea by environmental activist Pat Ridgway 29 years ago, the Creek’s Earth Day has grown to include participants Coast-wide from the Iris Griffiths Centre in Egmont to the One Straw Society on the lower Coast. This year, Starsage says, the theme is It Takes a Village to Create a Garden, a great idea given that Sheila Wilson, an Earth Day organizer for many years, now coordinates the Roberts Creek Community School, which is spearheading the building of the Community Garden. Starsage says he remembers one Earth Day when Wilson, with a convoy of cyclists, toiled up the road to the Hall, sailing back down with washed dishes to the food booths. An exhausting task. This year, thankfully, Salish Soils has offered to ensure zero waste.
Mark Lebbell, Roberts Creek SCRD director, will speak in the afternoon and Starsage says he’s also had commitments from Kim Darwin of the Greens and MLA Nicholas Simons.
On your way down the hill, look for the library’s Earth Day book sale and also the Roberts Creek branch of the Sunshine Coast Health Care Auxiliary hosting a plant and bake sale at the Gazebo.
Participating last year and, hopefully, again this year, are Coast merchants who contributed to the many raffle baskets, worth more than $1,500 in total.
To help out on Earth Day April 22, contact Graham Starsage at [email protected] or find on Facebook @robertscreekearthday. More than half the booths are already spoken for and Starsage says its “first come, first served.”
A call is also out for volunteers to help with a very special benefit potluck fundraiser to be held at the Hall on the evening of Friday, March 23. “Terry (Coyote) Aleck and Christine (White Wolf Woman) Turenne have given much to the Sunshine Coast community over the years,” writes Hall manager, Charon. “It’s payback time. Recently their rental accommodations have had the carpet removed from beneath their feet, and they need our help. I believe it an honour for us to provide that help. The evening of March 23 will see a huge cross-section of performers from Langdale to Earls Cove entertaining you at Roberts Creek Hall.” To help phone George at 604-883-2299.
Please send your news for this column to Joy at [email protected] before noon Sundays.
