The City of Grande Prairie, along with Aquatera Utilities, and Goodwill are hosting a Drop and Swap event to promote sustainability and waste reduction at a local level.
During the event, residents are encouraged to drop off their clean, previously owned clothing at the Ernie Radbourne Pavillion in Muskoseepi Park between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on October 16th, 17th, and 18th.
The swap portion of the occasion is scheduled for October 19th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. when participants can browse and take home new outfits and accessories. To further minimize waste, attendees are asked to bring their own reusable bags.
Any remaining items after the event will be collected by Goodwill and brought to their Grande Prairie facility for sale. Unsold materials will be repurposed into items such as rags, stuffing for various products, or will be used in the agriculture sector to ensure nothing goes to waste.
Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the event marks a significant example of the power of community and hopes the Drop and Swap will make a “real difference” when it comes to waste reduction in her city.
“In collaboration with Aquatera Utilities Inc. and Goodwill, we are proud to offer this opportunity to not only reduce landfill waste but also to foster everyday sustainability,” she says.
Last year’s event was described by many as a “resounding success” with 13,000 pounds of clothing donated by the community, and city officials suggest they are counting on the community to grow that figure even more this year.
