Nearly 2500 volunteers clean-up Northumberland this spring

(Left to Right): Township of Cramahe Mayor and County Councillor Mandy Martin, County Education & Communications Coordinator Dan Orr, Town of Cobourg Mayor and County Councillor Lucas Cleveland. Photo courtesy of Northumberland County.

Volunteers across Northumberland County rolled up their sleeves this spring to make the region more beautiful. For one week in April, nearly 2500 registered volunteers picked-up litter and illegal dumping along roads, in public parks and walking trails as part of the 15th annual "Mayor's Keep it Clean Challenge.”

“Each year, the Mayors’ Keep the County Clean Challenge showcases the incredible dedication our community members have to preserving the natural beauty of our community,” says County Warden Brian Ostrander. “It’s inspiring to see volunteers of all ages come together with a shared purpose, to take action, make a difference, and lead by example.”

The Town of Cobourg earned top honours in the category of ‘Highest Proportional Representation of Volunteers,’ with 5 per cent of its population taking part in this year’s challenge. The Township of Alnwick Haldimand followed closely in second place with 4.4 per cent participation.

The Township of Cramahe took home the trophy for ‘Hardest Working Volunteers,’ by collecting an impressive 15.8 kg of litter per volunteer. The Township of Hamilton secured the runner-up position with an average of 10.4 kg per volunteer.