The Driftwood’s Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! campaign is back for 2025
Dear readers,
We have no idea where March went. But somehow, it’s April again — and that means it’s time for the Driftwood’s annual Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! campaign!
Several of our faithful pick-it-uppers have already reached out to claim their favourite routes; last year we topped 50 groups, families, friends and neighbours doing their part, and we bet we can do even better for 2025.
If it’s your first time with Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! and are thinking about joining in to help rid our island of trash, it’s mostly a pretty simple proposition: choose an area, let us know about it, and have at it. We’ll keep track and share progress as we go along, right here in your community newspaper.
Many choose routes that are already on their daily walks; some pick their commutes, where perhaps that one plastic bag has been hanging for weeks driving you nuts. Some neighbourhoods have been doing the same stretch of roadway for years, and some are growing their reach — we love you over-achievers! There’s no limit to
how many lines on our weekly map you can sign up to fill in.
Every year, we love printing names (and sometimes photos!) that are sent in — and every year, there are pick-it-uppers who wish to remain among our amazing Anonymous Trash Heroes. Fear not, if that’s the way you want it, we can absolutely keep a secret. But for certain, let us know where you’ve been so we don’t duplicate efforts.
OUR RUNNING LIST AS OF MONDAY IS:
• Robert Steinbach: Kitchen Rd
• Ron Watts & Donna Hall: King Rd, Goodall Rd, Stevens Rd, Heidi Place, Bay Ridge Pl, Forest Ridge Rd and the beaches at Elenor Point and at the end of Monkswood Pl.
• Jane Lloyd-Jones: Long Harbour Rd
• Leah Chang: North End Rd between LePage Rd and Langs Rd
• Karen Mouat & Doug Abernethy: Sunset Dr on either side of Sir Echo’s Way (1 km each way) as well as Sir Echo’s Way
• Cusheon Lake Community: Cusheon Lake Rd
• Melissa Hingston, Charles Hingston, Marlyn Horsdal: Beaver Point Rd from Reynolds Rd to Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Nancy Johnson/Gail Sjuberg: Fulford-Ganges Rd, from Beddis Rd to 241 Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Rd from Fulford-Ganges Rd to Blackburn Rd
• Amanda McLeod: North Beach Rd
• Molly Magley: Isle View Dr
• Charles Kahn: Channel Ridge Dr and Sunset Dr from 1 km south of Sir Echo Way to Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Carol Penhale: Walker Hook Rd from Maliview Dr to the dock; Fer de Lance Rd and Westcott Rd
• Fiona & Brian Wolfe-Milner: Welbury Dr and Old Scott Rd
Whatever your plan, contact us to sign up! Email nancy.johnson@gulfislandsdriftwood.com, phone 250-537-9933 or drop into our office at 241 FulfordGanges Road between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until noon on Fridays.
See the bottom of this page for more info on bags and perks, we’re delighted you’re joining us — and don’t forget to thank our campaign sponsors! Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring!
the Food Bank.
Your coupon for a free tea, coffee or hot chocolate courtesy of TJ Beans. Enjoy being recognized as a Trash Hero in the Driftwood and the satisfaction of knowing you helped make Salt Spring a cleaner and healthier place.
LET’S PICK IT UP,
Hooray! The list is growing!
We’re trying to beat a record this year for the Driftwood’s annual Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! Campaign — so if you’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting to join in, the time is right now!
Last year we managed an all-time high of over 50 sign-ups — groups, families, friends and neighbours doing their part. The response this first week tells us we may indeed be able to beat that by the end of April — but we’re going to have to (cough) Pick It Up!
Our most faithful pick-it-uppers are hitting the streets, beaches, sidewalks and ditches all cleaning up their favourite stretches of Salt Spring — enjoying the warmer spring temperatures, the extra exercise and best of all a tidier Salt Spring!
If it’s your first time with Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! and are thinking about joining us to help rid our island of trash, it’s mostly a pretty simple proposition: choose an area, let us know about it, and have at it. We’ll keep track and share progress as we go along, right here in your community newspaper.
Every year, we print names and photos that are sent in and every year, there are pick-it-uppers who wish to remain the Anonymous Trash Heroes they are in their hearts. Fear not, if that’s the way you want it, we can absolutely keep a secret — you’ll see them on our list already. But for certain, let us know where you’ve been so we don’t duplicate efforts.
Many pick routes that are already on their daily walks; some choose their commutes. Some neighbourhoods have been doing the same stretch of roadway for years, and some are growing their reach. We love you over-achievers! There’s no limit to how many lines you can sign up to fill in on our map.
Reach out to us today to sign up. Email nancy.johnson@ gulfislandsdriftwood.com, phone 250-537-9933 or drop into our office at 241 Fulford-Ganges Road between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until noon on Fridays. Don’t forget to send in your snapshots — we all hate litter, but we sure do love pictures of smiling faces holding it!
See the bottom of this page for more info on bags and perks. We’re delighted you’re joining us and don’t forget to thank our campaign sponsors! Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring!
OUR RUNNING LIST AS OF MONDAY IS:
• Robert Steinbach: Kitchen Rd
• Ron Watts & Donna Hall: King Rd, Goodall Rd, Stevens Rd, Heidi Place, Bay Ridge Pl, Forest Ridge Rd and the beaches at Elenor Point and at the end of Monkswood Pl.
• Jane Lloyd-Jones: Long Harbour Rd
• Leah Chang: North End Rd between LePage Rd and Langs Rd
• Karen Mouat & Doug Abernethy: Sunset Dr on either side of Sir Echo’s Way (1 km each way) as well as Sir Echo’s Way
• Cusheon Lake Community: Cusheon Lake Rd
• Melissa Hingston, Charles Hingston, Marlyn Horsdal: Beaver Point Rd from Reynolds Rd to Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Nancy Johnson/Gail Sjuberg: FulfordGanges Rd, from Beddis Rd to 241 FulfordGanges Rd
• Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Rd from FulfordGanges Rd to Blackburn Rd
• Amanda McLeod: North Beach Rd
• Molly Magley: Isle View Dr
• Charles Kahn: Channel Ridge Dr and Sunset Dr from 1 km south of Sir Echo Way to Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Carol Penhale: Walker’s Hook Rd from Maliview Dr to the dock; Fer de Lance Rd and Westcott Rd
• Fiona & Brian Wolfe-Milner: Welbury Dr and Old Scott Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Bonnet Ave & Drake Rd
• Tripp Road Neighbours: Vesuvius Bay Rd from Central to Tripp Rd and all of Tripp Rd
• Illtyd Perkins: Fulford-Ganges Rd from Mereside Rd to Garner Rd
• Andrea LeBorgne & Ian Mitchell: Price Rd, Price beach access & Cottonwood Rd
• Edgar Hildebrandt: Eagle Ridge Dr
• Cheryl Huseby & Ron Townshend: Broadwell Rd from Vesuvius Bay Rd to Channel Ridge Dr
• Susan Fussell: Stewart Rd from Peter Arnell Park to Saltair Ln
• Melynda & Andrew Okulitch: Eaglewood Dr & Quebec Ln
• Louise Hansen: 300 to 400 Sky Valley Rd and Lord Mike’s Pl
• Neale & Niki Smith: Fulford Bay Beach
Your coupon for a free
coffee or hot chocolate courtesy of TJ Beans. Enjoy being recognized as a Trash Hero in the Driftwood and the satisfaction of knowing you helped make Salt Spring a cleaner and healthier place.
LET’S PICK IT UP,
We’re more than halfway there in our attempt to beat last year’s record participation for the Driftwood’s annual Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! Campaign — and we know there are more of you out there.
In 2024 we topped 50 sign-ups, and with the rest of April yet to go we passed into the 30s this week — hooray!
Thank you to our faithful returning pick-it-uppers who’ve been hitting the streets, beaches, sidewalks and ditches to clean up their favourite stretches of Salt Spring — and a hearty “Welcome!” to our first-timers. The weather is perfect, so Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! See the bottom of this page for more info on bags and perks. We’re delighted you’re joining us — don’t forget to thank our campaign sponsors! And keep those snapshots coming! Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring!
Photo By Gail SjuBerG
OUR RUNNING LIST AS OF MONDAY IS:
• Robert Steinbach: Kitchen Rd
• Ron Watts & Donna Hall: King Rd, Goodall Rd, Stevens Rd, Heidi Place, Bay Ridge Pl, Forest Ridge Rd and the beaches at Elenor Point and at the end of Monkswood Pl.
• Jane Lloyd-Jones: Long Harbour Rd
• Leah Chang: North End Rd between LePage Rd and Langs Rd
• Karen Mouat & Doug Abernethy: Sunset Dr on either side of Sir Echo’s Way (1 km each way) as well as Sir Echo’s Way
• Cusheon Lake Community: Cusheon Lake Rd
• Melissa Hingston, Charles Hingston, Marlyn Horsdal: Beaver Point Rd from Reynolds Rd to Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Nancy Johnson/Gail Sjuberg: FulfordGanges Rd, from Beddis Rd to 241 FulfordGanges Rd
• Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Rd from FulfordGanges Rd to Blackburn Rd
• Amanda McLeod: North Beach Rd
• Molly Magley: Isle View Dr
• Charles Kahn: Channel Ridge Dr and Sunset Dr from 1 km south of Sir Echo Way to Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Illtyd Perkins: Fulford-Ganges Rd from Mereside Rd to Garner Rd
• Andrea LeBorgne & Ian Mitchell: Price Rd, Price beach access & Cottonwood Rd
• Edgar Hildebrandt: Eagle Ridge Dr
• Cheryl Huseby & Ron Townshend: Broadwell Rd from Vesuvius Bay Rd to Channel Ridge Dr
• Susan Fussell: Stewart Rd from Peter Arnell Park to Saltair Ln
• Melynda & Andrew Okulitch: Eaglewood Dr & Quebec Ln
• Louise Hansen: 300 to 400 Sky Valley Rd and Lord Mike’s Rd
• Neale & Niki Smith: Fulford Bay Beach
• Lloyd Fraser: Long Harbour Rd from Eagle Ridge Dr to Upper Ganges Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Cape Kepel Beach
• Ken Jackson: Top of Baker Rd down to the stairs at the end of Baker Beach
• Donald & Judy McLennan: Margaret Ave
• Liz & Suzy: Fulford-Ganges Rd, both sides from Burgoyne Rd turnoff to 1860 Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Susan Bull: Morningside Rd & Sunnyside Dr
Join us in preserving our island paradise. Clean up today!
250-537-9933 241 Fulford-Ganges Rd gulfislandsdriftwood.com
• Carol Penhale: Walker’s Hook Rd from Maliview Dr to the dock; Fer de Lance Rd and Westcott Rd
• Fiona & Brian Wolfe-Milner: Welbury Dr and Old Scott Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Bonnet Ave & Drake Rd
• Sylvia Walters & Andrea Sowden: Atkins Rd
• Derek & Andrea Sowden: Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: LePage Rd & Ensilwood Rd
• Tripp Road Neighbours: Vesuvius Bay Rd from Central to Tripp Rd and all of Tripp Rd
It’s time for the Driftwood’s annual island-wide clean-up campaign! Join your friends and neighbours in clearing litter and other debris from island roadsides and beaches.
Pick a section of road, beach or neighbourhood that you would like to rid of trash in April.
Phone or email the Driftwood with your name and area you’ve chosen.
250.537.9933 or driftwood@gulfislandsdriftwood.com Stop by the Driftwood to pick up:
Your Laurie’s Recycling & Waste coupon and clear garbage bags. Take your full bag(s) to Laurie’s at no charge.
Your Island Return It coupon and clear bags. Take the bottles & cans collected to Island Return It where their staff will sort them. Funds will be donated to the Food Bank.
Your coupon for a free tea, coffee or hot chocolate courtesy of TJ Beans. Enjoy being recognized as a Trash Hero in the Driftwood and the satisfaction of knowing you helped make Salt Spring a cleaner and healthier place.
Charles Hingston
LET’S PICK IT UP,
One week left!
This year’s Let’s Pick It Up, Salt Spring! Campaign has been a roaring success so far, and there’s still time to commit to cleaning up a stretch of island road or beach before the end of April. It’s exciting to see how many beach areas are included in our list this year. A special thanks to those who are trekking along parts of the coastline helping our marine wildlife and ecosystems thrive.
So many people have taken on several kilometres of road. The dedication and time given to the cause is truly impressive. And we love to see and share photos taken from the expeditions.
To join the campaign, see the bottom of this page for more info on bags and the perks of participation.
OUR RUNNING LIST AS OF MONDAY IS:
• Robert Steinbach: Kitchen Rd
• Ron Watts & Donna Hall: King Rd, Goodall Rd, Stevens Rd, Heidi Place, Bay Ridge Pl, Forest Ridge Rd and the beaches at Eleanor Point and at the end of Monkswood Pl.
• Jane Lloyd-Jones: Long Harbour Rd
• Leah Chang: North End Rd between LePage Rd and Langs Rd
• Karen Mouat & Doug Abernethy: Sunset Dr on either side of Sir Echo’s Way (1 km each way) as well as Sir Echo’s Way
• Cusheon Lake Community: Cusheon Lake Rd
• Melissa Hingston, Charles Hingston, Marlyn Horsdal: Beaver Point Rd from Reynolds Rd to Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Nancy Johnson/Gail Sjuberg: Fulford-Ganges Rd, from Beddis Rd to 241 Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Rd from Fulford-Ganges Rd to Blackburn Rd
• Amanda McLeod: North Beach Rd
• Molly Magley: Isle View Dr
• Charles Kahn: Channel Ridge Dr and Sunset Dr from 1 km south of Sir Echo Way to Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Carol Penhale: Walker’s Hook Rd from Maliview Dr to the dock; Fer de Lance Rd and Westcott Rd
• Fiona & Brian Wolfe-Milner: Welbury Dr and Old Scott Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Bonnet Ave & Drake Rd
• Tripp Road Neighbours: Vesuvius Bay Rd from Central to Tripp Rd and all of Tripp Rd
• Illtyd Perkins: Fulford-Ganges Rd from Mereside Rd to Garner Rd
• Andrea LeBorgne & Ian Mitchell: Price Rd, Price beach access & Cottonwood Rd
• Edgar Hildebrandt: Eagle Ridge Dr
• Cheryl Huseby & Ron Townshend: Broadwell Rd from Vesuvius Bay Rd to Channel Ridge Dr
• Susan Fussell: Stewart Rd from Peter Arnell Park to Saltair Ln
• Melynda & Andrew Okulitch: Eagle Ridge Dr & Quebec Ln
• Louise Henson: 300 to 400 Sky Valley Rd and Lord Mike’s Rd
• Neale & Niki Smith: Fulford Bay Beach
• Lloyd Fraser: Long Harbour Rd from Eagle Ridge Dr to Upper Ganges Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Cape Keppel Beach
• Ken Jackson: Top of Baker Rd down to the stairs at the end of Baker Beach
• Donald & Judy McLennan: Margaret Ave
• Liz & Suzy: Fulford-Ganges Rd, both sides from Burgoyne Rd turnoff to 1860 FulfordGanges Rd
• Susan Bull: Morningside Rd & Sunnyside Dr
• Sylvia Walters & Andrea Sowden: Atkins Rd & part of Rainbow Rd
• Derek & Andrea Sowden: Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: LePage Rd & Ensilwood Rd
• Kristi Reynolds/Island Savings Crew: Beach by Moby’s
• Zora & Juniper: Corbett Rd & Crofton Rd
• Caroline Hickman: End of Cranberry Rd (where Mt Maxwell & Toynbee Rds meet) to the end of Wright Rd
It’s time for the Driftwood’s annual island-wide clean-up campaign! Join your friends and neighbours in clearing litter and other debris from island roadsides and beaches.
Pick a section of road, beach or neighbourhood that you would like to rid of trash in April.
Phone or email the Driftwood with your name and area you’ve chosen. 250.537.9933 or driftwood@gulfislandsdriftwood.com Stop by the Driftwood to pick up: Your Laurie’s Recycling & Waste coupon and clear garbage bags. Take your full bag(s) to Laurie’s at no charge.
Your Island Return It coupon and clear bags. Take the bottles & cans collected to Island Return It where their staff will sort them. Funds will be donated to the Food Bank.
Your coupon for a free tea, coffee or hot chocolate courtesy of TJ Beans. Enjoy being recognized as a Trash Hero in the Driftwood and the satisfaction of knowing you helped make Salt Spring a cleaner and healthier place.
PHOTO BY RON WATTS
PHOTO
From left, Sylvia Walters and Andrea and Derek Sowden with trash picked up on Vesuvius Bay Road, Atkins Road and part of Rainbow Road.
LET’S PICK IT UP,
OUR 2025 TRASH HEROES:
• Robert Steinbach: Kitchen Rd
• Ron Watts & Donna Hall: King Rd, Goodall Rd, Stevens Rd, Heidi Place, Bay Ridge Pl, Forest Ridge Rd and the beaches at Eleanor Point and at the end of Monkswood Pl.
• Jane Lloyd-Jones: Long Harbour Rd
Salt Springers once again stepped up to “pick it up,” cleaning many kilometres of island roads and beaches of trash and recyclables.
See the map on this page for all the areas covered through the month of April. It’s impressive! Our sincerest thanks as well to our sponsors. Laurie’s covers the costs of garbage disposal for the entire program — an unbelievably generous contribution to our community’s well-being — so feel free to thank them the next time you’re at their drop-off station next to Country Grocer. TJ Beans provides coupons for tea, coffee and hot chocolate — also extremely generous and much appreciated.
And the Island Return It centre is a new partner this year, accepting unsorted recyclables and donating all proceeds to the food bank at Island
• Leah Chang: North End Rd between LePage Rd and Langs Rd
• Karen Mouat & Doug Abernethy: Sunset Dr on either side of Sir Echo’s Way (1 km each way) as well as Sir Echo’s Way
• Cusheon Lake Community: Cusheon Lake Rd from FulfordGanges Rd to Beddis Rd
• Melissa Hingston, Charles Hingston, Marlyn Horsdal: Beaver Point Rd from Reynolds Rd to Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Nancy Johnson: Beddis Rd from Fulford-Ganges Rd to the Sailing Club
• Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Rd from Fulford-Ganges Rd to Blackburn Rd
• Amanda McLeod: North Beach Rd
• Molly Magley: Isle View Dr
• Charles Kahn: Channel Ridge Dr and Sunset Dr from 1 km south of Sir Echo Way to Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Carol Penhale: Walker’s Hook Rd from Maliview Dr to the dock; Fer de Lance Rd and Westcott Rd
• Fiona & Brian Wolfe-Milner: Welbury Dr and Old Scott Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Bonnet Ave & Drake Rd
• Tripp Road Neighbours: Vesuvius Bay Rd from Central to Tripp Rd and all of Tripp Rd
• Susan Fussell: Stewart Rd from Peter Arnell Park to Saltair Ln
• Melynda & Andrew Okulitch: Eagle Ridge Dr & Quebec Ln
• Louise Henson: 300 to 400 Sky Valley Rd and Lord Mike’s Rd
• Neale & Niki Smith: Fulford Bay Beach
• Lloyd Fraser: Long Harbour Rd from Eagle Ridge Dr to Upper Ganges Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: Cape Keppel Beach
• Ken Jackson: Top of Baker Rd down to the stairs at the end of Baker Beach
• Donald & Judy McLennan: Margaret Ave
• Liz & Suzy: Fulford-Ganges Rd, both sides from Burgoyne Rd turnoff to 1860 Fulford-Ganges Rd
• Susan Bull: Morningside Rd & Sunnyside Dr
• Sylvia Walters & Andrea Sowden: Atkins Rd & part of Rainbow Rd
• Derek & Andrea Sowden: Vesuvius Bay Rd
• Anonymous Trash Hero: LePage Rd & Ensilwood Rd
• Kristi Reynolds/Island Savings Crew: Beach by Moby’s
• Zora & Juniper: Corbett Rd & Crofton Rd
• Caroline Hickman: End of Cranberry Rd (where Mt Maxwell & Toynbee Rds meet) to the end of Wright Rd
• Sonia & Sofia Langer: Rainbow Rd from Pallot Way to the pool
• Illtyd Perkins: Fulford-Ganges Rd from Mereside Rd to Garner Rd
• Andrea LeBorgne & Ian Mitchell: Price Rd, Price beach access & Cottonwood Rd
• Edgar Hildebrandt: Eagle Ridge Dr
• Cheryl Huseby & Ron Townshend: Broadwell Rd from Vesuvius Bay Rd to Channel Ridge Dr
• Elaine Shaw & Harry Kirwin: Blain Rd to Wildwood Cr on Lower Ganges Rd