Cleaning up shorelines was one safe way to come together as a school group and help the community.
This is what groups of Hugh Boyd students started doing bi-monthly last year during the pandemic, both in Garry Point Park and Terra Nova, as part of a school club affiliated with Rotary.
“It’s something as a team we’re really proud of,” said Jasleen Saini, co-president of the Interact Club, the “high-school version of Rotary.”
It’s something tangible they felt as a club they could do – some of the things they picked up were glass, cigarette butts, toys, plastic bags, masks and cup lids.
Parents with their children at the shoreline often thank the students for cleaning up, especially the glass that can be dangerous for little feet, Saini said, but adding “it’s what we do”.
“Picking those small things up, it’s not a huge difference, but it makes a difference,” she said.
Eventually, the groups of students focused just on Garry Point Park.
“This activity not only allows Hugh Boyd Interact members to be active citizens who provide service to the community we live in, but it also allows for the environment around us to be a clean and safe place for all,” Saini said.
The Hugh Boyd Interact Club has about 150 members, Saini said.
Saini, who’s in Grade 12 and is planning to go to post-secondary to study public health, said, after graduating, she wants to stay involved with the Rotary Club as she sees the value in its service.
“As citizens, we have a responsibility to help our community and I think I can do it with this club,” Saini said.
The Hugh Boyd Interact Club also does other fundraisers for Rotary, focusing on things like the health of mothers and children in the developing world.
