Clean Up Barrie is a local grassroots organization that strives to keep the community clean all year round. The group has proven that even small beginnings can lead to lasting success.
Clean Up Barrie started out in 2020 as an initiative of Barrie Families Unite. In 2021, Jen Slykhuis took over leadership of the organization and has been an integral part of their growth.
The volunteer-based group now has over 900 members.
The volunteers at Clean Up Barrie are known as being dedicated and passionate individuals, always striving to maximize their positive impact by putting in hundreds of hours of unpaid work.
Part of the group’s mission is to ensure that the residents of Barrie are able to enjoy their beautiful city and to increase awareness of the growing problem of litter.
Another part of their mission is to create employment opportunities for marginalized individuals in the community with their social enterprise. Participants who assist with Clean Up Barrie’s initiatives receive a living wage, making it a win-win for everyone involved.
This demonstration of the importance of managing one’s environmental footprint makes Clean Up Barrie a deserving recipient of this year’s Community Builders Award in the Environment category.
“It’s a really nice feeling to be recognized and appreciated for the work we’re doing,” said Jen Slykhuis when she was told the news of Clean Up Barrie’s win. “It takes a lot of volunteer time and people’s commitment and passion to do what we do. There’s a lot of great organizations doing great, impactful work so it’s nice to be recognized.”
“This reinforces that what we’re doing has a positive impact on the community and that we’re making a difference,” she added. “We hope that this will further legitimize our group and elevate the profile of Clean Up Barrie in the community.”
In 2021, the group cleaned up over 230 bags of garbage in 30 different locations. The following year, they managed to clean up over 260 bags of garbage. This past year, Clean Up Barrie cleaned up over 800 bags of garbage - their best year yet.
Additionally, the organization received a grant allowing them to clean up cigarette butts, and have picked up over 10,000 in Barrie, so far.
“If people want to get involved and help out, we’re always looking for support from the community in terms of sponsorship and volunteers,” Slykhuis shared. “We’re also very open to working with other groups and individuals.”
Clean Up Barrie has partnered with the Rotary Club, Barrie Housing, Friends of Milligan’s Pond, Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness and others to make a positive environmental impact on the Barrie community.
The organization hopes to continue to grow and inspire others to join their efforts to create a cleaner, greener community.
The Environment award recognizes a person or group that has had an important positive impact on our environment, both man-made and natural. It may be a private initiative (i.e. an innovative energy efficient home) or a public one (a re-greening project). What all initiatives will have in common is that they demonstrate to the rest of us what is possible in improving our environmental footprint in our community.
Congratulations, Clean Up Barrie!
This award is proudly sponsored by Kenny U-Pull.
