A Cariboo society is looking for nominations for their new environmental contest.
The Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (CCCS) has called out to the public for nominations for their brand new 2024 Environmental Hero award, which will be given to a Cariboo-Chilcotin resident who is dedicated to enhancing the environment through efforts in land conservation, air quality improvement, water preservation, climate action and nature conservation.
The CCCS wants to shine a light on those in the community who strive to make a difference, and will also reward at least 10 nominated individuals with a coffee as a thank you gift.
“We’re aware that countless individuals contribute to these causes out of pure care or a sense of duty,” program coordinator Dani Gastaldello said. “We wanted to spotlight their work and show our appreciation by giving them some recognition and making them feel seen and valued.”
Last year, Wilbur Saunders was named the Williams Lake Litter-Picking Superhero for his work in collecting cigarette butts off the streets, gathering a total of seven buckets in just one year.
“Without his remarkable cleanup work, these butts would still litter our roads and possibly even find their way into our waterways,” Gastaldello said. “Few knew about his efforts in his spare time, so we felt it was important to highlight his amazing contribution.”
When the CCCS posted about Saunders on their Facebook page, they received a lot of positive feedback, which prompted them to take it a step further and launch a contest.
The CCCS is invested in the community and believes that everyone has a civic responsibility to preserve its beauty.
“Some truly remarkable people in the Cariboo Chilcotin are already actively fulfilling this duty, and we want to highlight their love for the land and acknowledge their contributions,” Gastaldello said. “After all, who doesn’t appreciate a little recognition now and then?”
The public can nominate their environmental hero in the comments section of the Environmental Hero post on the CCCS Facebook page, along with a sentence or two about what they do and why they are deserving of recognition. The nomination period closes on March 12 at 5 p.m.
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