Sean Whelly and Derek Neary
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 21/99) - Litter is much harder to find in Fort Simpson this week.

Close to 100 participants gathered on the vacant lot adjacent to Main Street on a blustery Saturday morning to help plant 30 trees and give the town a complete make-over. Wind, rain and near-freezing temperatures couldn't dampen the volunteer spirit of both the young and old alike.

"It was excellent," said Hilda Antoine, chair of the Community Beautification Committee. "I just want to thank the community for coming out and helping. It was really good community spirit. For them to come out on such a cold and miserable day, that was something else. It was a good feeling."

Antoine estimated that more than 200 large garbage bags full of trash were taken to the dump.

With the judging for the national Communities in Bloom competition coming up on July 22, she said she hopes that people will make an extra effort to ensure their lawns and the community remain clean.

The trees, which were planted along the periphery of the lot, will undoubtedly add to the aesthetic value. The lot was selected because it's right in the middle of town, according to Antoine.

"We thought that, well, we want to beautify our community and it was just a good place to start," she said.

Tree Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to planting trees across the country, donated $5,000 towards the project.

Tree Canada's Murray Little, who came in from Prince Albert, Sask., said, "I think what you are doing here is just great. You have really involved everyone in this event and the hard work shows."

The exhaustive cleanup covered nearly every street on the island. A similar effort is scheduled to be held in the Wild Rose subdivision on May 26, beginning with a barbecue at 6 p.m., Antoine said.

Eleven bicycles and a gardening-equipment prize were given to participants through draws. The prize winners were: Chelsey Tufts, Delancy Vandell, Samantha Prosper, Teyen Menicoche, Colin Stipdonk, Leif Amundson, Stacey Menicoche, Chris Cli, Chris Stipdonk, Tanya Hardisty, Deborah Stipdonk and Connie Loutit.

Participants also received a "Fort of the Forks '99/Tree Canada" cap. Everyone with an appetite also enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs.

Sean Whelly, Fort Simpson's community economic development officer, noted that a recent visitor from Fort Nelson mentioned how clean the community looked. It will be up to everyone to make sure it stays that way, he added.