Annual Trash Bash set to kick off for the 26 year

The 26 annual Trash Bash returns June 11 for a fun-filled day cleaning up Sun Peaks.

The Rotary Club of Sun Peaks is running the event this year, and the club is inviting community members to pitch in any time between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

Head to Sun Peaks Yoga Studio, where volunteers will hand out gloves, bags and a map before folks head out to hunt for litter.

After the event, people are invited to the Magic Cattle Guard for beverages and treats.

Alex Morrissey is coordinating the event this year, which traditionally runs during the week, and he said events like the Trash Bash help residents keep the village pristine.

“I think it’s safe to say that we’re all very proud of where we live. We all love the pristine nature,” he said. 

Morrissey thanked Kayla Alfred from Sun Peaks Yoga for being a lead sponsor, and Kendra Olsen, for their support in organizing the day.

Alfred stepped up to host the event because the village itself will be busy playing host to a 5k foam fest fun run on the same weekend. 

She also added the organizing committee decided to have the event later in the season than previous Trash Bashs because they expected late spring snowfall that didn’t arrive.

“​​I love this community, and I want others to see what I see every day, and I want it to sparkle,” Alfred wrote in an email. “Ideally, we would have been able to do it before the first major event, but I’m glad it’s still happening before the lifts open and more folks come to town.”

Other sponsors for the day include Vertical Cafe, Sun Peaks Bear Aware, Ohana Deli, Sun Peaks Fire Rescue, Chez Joe Poutine and the Magic Cattle Guard.

Morrissey also highlighted that the Rotary Club’s motto is “service above self,” meaning cleaning up the community aligns well with the international organization.

“The world has many, many, many places that are beautiful, and there’s not enough time to experience it all,” he said. “We can clean our [space], and hopefully that inspires other places, other Rotarians, to do something similar.”

Alfred noted that participating in the event is another way to help prevent harm to bears in Sun Peaks. She highlighted the importance of community members taking their trash to the transfer station during operating hours so that bears do not see waste as a food source causing them to be euthanized.