City-wide blitz organized for next Friday

The Government of Nunavut is raising an army.

The enemy? Mounds of litter choking the streets of Iqaluit.

Organizers from the GN's environment department are putting out the call for volunteers for the June 15 event, which starts at 9 a.m. at the Nakasuk School parking lot. Students from all the city's schools and staff from various GN departments are already booked.

"We're hoping to get all of Iqaluit covered," said organizer Jamessee Moulton.

Volunteers with access to cars will be encouraged to head to farther-flung areas of the city. Those on foot will keep closer to the downtown, and students will clean around their schools, said organizer Jean Simpson.

"Generally we want to get the downtown area cleaned up," Simpson said.

Cleanup organizers will provide garbage bags and gloves, but urge those with their own supplies to bring them along.

"Last year we had a bit of a problem with running out of garbage bags and especially gloves," Moulton said.

But it's not all muckraking. Organizers plan to hold a barbecue for volunteers at the Parish Hall at noon. All who attend will be entered for a door prize.

"We're getting t-shirts getting sent up to give as treats," Moulton said.

It will be the second cleanup in a little over a week in Iqaluit. Trash Talking, a Nunavut Tourism-backed group of high school students and other volunteers, was scheduled to clean up the area in front of the Elders Centre this past Wednesday.