The Highway 16 corridor between Telkwa and Evelyn will receive a much-needed face lift on Thursday, May 6 when BVCS students step into their annual full-day Litter-a-thon highway clean up. 

Armed with gloves, bags and sunshine (hopefully), students in grades 7 through 12 will spread out across both sides of the Highway 16 corridor, collecting and bagging the winter’s highway litter. In cooperation with Dawson Road Maintenance, the students’ efforts to clean up the visual environment have been much appreciated by Bulkley Valley residents for over thirty years. It’s an expression of community and environmental care…and an important student fundraising opportunity.

Each year, local businesses, families and individuals support this important initiative by making tax-deductible sponsorship donations. Sponsorship proceeds from the Litter-a-thon are directed to student accounts. From these accounts, students pay for extra-curricular fees (such as athletic team fees), course activities (such as travel costs related to various school trips) and more. Students may not withdraw or use these proceeds in any capacity outside of school-based initiatives throughout their high school years. If you’d like to sponsor a student, click here.

Through an encompassing safety plan (which includes Covid protocols) that is shared with and involves other agencies, this event prioritizes student safety. BVCS is grateful to have the involvement of Dawson Road Maintenance as well as the input of the Ministry of Transport, the Town of Smithers and the Smithers RCMP detachment.

BVCS urges travellers to exercise additional caution while driving Highway 16 on Thursday, May 6.

On May 6, Bulkley Valley communities and residents can look forward to a cleaner Highway 16 thanks to the cooperation of students, sponsors and supporting agencies.