New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society raised more than $6,000 at this year’s Christmas tree chipping event.
Glen Bailey, president of the charitable society, said the city provided an arborist who chipped 260 trees on Saturday, Jan. 7 and 276 trees on Sunday, Jan. 8. Off-duty firefighters helped haul the trees to the arborist, who put them through the chipper.
“Because of the weather, we could only get one bin. We had guys stomping on the chips to get it down,” he said. “I think that was one of our better years for trees being brought out. We took away one very, very full bin of trees. They go to a recycling yard in Richmond.”
The event took place on the weekend following a major snowfall, resulting in a loss of space in the parking lot of the Canada Games Pool because of snow banks and ice. The charitable society is grateful to the community for its support and to residents who may have been impacted by the event.
“We ended up having to take up a little more of the parking lot than we normally would,” said Bailey, noting that may have impacted some people going to the pool or community centre. “To those people, we apologize for any inconvenience. We are going to work with the city to come up with a plan for next year, should we have snow.”
Despite the cold weather, a jazz band from New Westminster Secondary School performed, Louise Perry of G&F Financial popped and served popcorn and local firefighters served up barbecued hotdogs and pop at the event. The charitable society raises money that it disperses to a wide variety of community programs and organizations in New Westminster.
New West councillor gets award
New Westminster Coun. Chuck Puchmayr was one of three labour and social activists who were honoured for their outstanding community service at the 23rd annual Labour Appreciation Night, an event hosted by the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Vancouver District and Labour Council and the New Westminster District Labour Council.
Pacific Blue Cross presented the Dec. 8 event, where Puchmayr receive the New Westminster and District Labour Council Labour Community Service Award.
“As a young worker, Chuck Puchmayr saw the labour movement as a way to fulfill his dreams of helping others in need, particularly those who didn’t have a voice,” said a press release. “Worker safety and good labour practices in the forest industry motivate much of Chuck’s advocacy.”
While serving as New Westminster’s MLA in Victoria from 2005 to 2009, Puchmayr was the NDP’s labour critic and advocated for working families on a variety of issues.
