Two teams of REALTORS® braved a cold morning to give communities in Southwest New Brunswick a much-needed spring cleanup on April 28.
The Saint John Real Estate Board’s 2nd Annual REALTORS Care® Clean-up Day resulted in over 70 bags of garbage and many large pieces of debris being cleared from an east Saint John neighbourhood and green-space in the Kennebecasis Valley.
The teams braved the coldest day of the spring so far, with freezing temperatures, high winds, and even occasional snow flurries. Team 1, in Saint John, focused its efforts along MacDonald Street, a grassy area near a senior citizen’s complex. “Cleaning up this area benefitted the community, and particularly the seniors who live nearby,” said Board President Jason Stephen. “We removed a lot of litter. We’re very proud of how it turned out.”
Team 2, in Kennebecasis Valley, just east of the City, focused on cleaning up green-space along a major roadway near stores and gas stations.
“Thousands of cars drive past this area every single day, and seeing litter makes a lot of people feel bad,” said Barry MacDonald, Chair of the local REALTORS Care® committee. “It was easy to remove, and it looks picture-perfect now.”
MacDonald says a couple of motorists pulled over to express their appreciation, and one pedestrian even spontaneously joined the REALTORS® in helping with the clean-up.
Despite the cold weather, all who participated were glad they did. “Everyone poured their hearts into the effort, out of a genuine love for our communities,” said Stephen. “I’m proud of all of us.”
Pictured (top): Saint John REALTORS® huddle together before heading out to clean the city’s east side.
Pictured (right): REALTOR® Fran Hickmott and her mini helpers clean up the Kennebecasis Valley.
