Salina Derish, the Green Party candidate in Chilliwack-Hope, is using her diving skills on the campaign trail.
She has organized a clean-up event at Cultus Lake to coincide with Earth Day, on April 22, and is inviting the community to come out and lend a hand. Derish is a free diver (without tanks) and she and other divers will be in the water to bring out trash from the lake bottom.
Volunteers are encouraged to come out and help with a shoreline cleanup on Main Beach, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. After that, there will be meet-and-greet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the same location.
“Whether you're a local eco-hero or just want to lend a hand, every piece of garbage collected makes a difference” Derish said in a press release. “Let’s clean up our lake and spark change together—above and below the surface.”
The divers will be piling up the trash for it to be viewed before being hauled away for proper disposal.
Derish is an environmental advocate and expert on sustainable living. She is the founder of PickEco Refills, and in 2020 she launched PickEco Compost to help offset her business' carbon footprint. She is also a founding director of the Downtown Chilliwack Market Society
“Bring your questions, ideas, and community spirit” Derish said. “This is a great chance to connect, learn more about clean waterways, and talk about environmental issues that matter to you.”
Complimentary coffee will be provided, but people are asked to bring a reusable cup to help keep the event low-waste.
