'Beach Cleanup Bingo' proves popular in Western Cape Breton
With a bingo card in hand, Mary Janet MacDonald walked Boardwalk Beach in Port Hood, N.S., Thursday, keeping her eyes peeled for trash.
"I have printed off the card,” MacDonald said. “I'm waiting for my grandchildren to come, and we're going to make a day of it."
The card is for a game called Beach Cleanup Bingo.
Organized by workers from Inverness County Waste, the idea is for people to get out to the different beaches that dot western Cape Breton, and cross items off their card in the name of cleanup.
Johanna Padelt picks up litter on beaches year-round.
She finds pretty much everything, and said it's a shame when trash is left behind in places that are so naturally beautiful.
"I have been collecting trash on beaches, and I incorporate it into kind of collage to make art pieces,” Padelt said. "It's upsetting. It's really upsetting to think that we are polluting our oceans, our entire environment."
The beach bingo card includes items like rope and rubber lobster bands, plastic and cigarette butts.
"If you can get two straight lines, an X, or a full card - even better - you can get a $25 gift certificate to the Mabou Market,” MacDonald said.
People have until July 31 to fill out their bingo cards and while there's a competition aspect to it, it's also about encouraging people to check out the different beaches across Inverness County and the scenery they have to offer.
"In Mabou, you have the West Mabou beach and you have beautiful beaches down in Mabou Harbour and at the coal mines,” MacDonald said. “And Inverness Beach, what can you say?"
MacDonald said most people are good to pick up after themselves anyway, but people seemed to agree that there's nothing wrong with a friendly reminder in the name of some summer fun.
"I love it, and I think it gets people sort of motivated and it makes it fun and gets more people out,” Padelt said. “And once you start, maybe you never stop.”
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