Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jun 05/98) - Area Beavers, Cubs and Scouts helped residents with their spring cleaning May 30, collecting what appeared to be a winter's worth of beer, wine and spirit bottles.

With a 12-pack of beer bottles going for 70 cents, wine bottles at 25 cents, spirit bottles at 25 cents and both cooler and beer cans worth 10 cents each, organizer Louis Bryant said the drive would likely match the other two or three bottle drives conducted throughout the year.

The drives "raise enough to cover five weekend outings for Scouts, two weekend outings for Cubs and day camps and fun activities for Beavers.

Final camp-outs are held for Scouts this weekend at Airport Lake while Cubs will get the camp the following weekend.

"It's a big thing for a seven-year-old," said Bryant, who has been a Cub leader for four years.

"They're sleeping overnight for the first time and without their parents around. I tell them that I know they feel a bit abandoned and they might have a big lump in their throat."

During September through June, the approximately 25 boys in the three organizations go snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, ice fishing and learn survival skills.

Beavers are for boys five to seven years of age, Cubs are for boys eight to 10 years old and Scouts are for boys 11 to 15 years old.

"It's fun," nine-year-old Sam Anderson said as he handed off a 12-pack of empty beer bottles to a parent.

"We have a camp-out every year."

The day after the cubs wrapped up their bottle drive, the Sparks, a group for girls in kindergarten and Grade 1, held their year-end barbecue at the boat launch.