It's not too late to show your love for your city and with as many as eight projects on the go for a new volunteer program July 14-21, plenty of opportunity to help out.
At least that's the hope of Dave Jonsson, who started the community love-in effort with a team of enthusiastic young people.
There are four clean ups, free hair cuts and a concert celebration to wind up Love My City Week after all the work is done and the brooms, pails and yard clippers put down for another season of helping out.
"When we come along side one another and love our community and our cities — that can only be good," said Jonsson, who is also a Coquitlam pastor.
To Jonsson, giving back is a way to connect and make a difference as an individual while reducing loneliness and isolation, which can be a side effect of dense city living.
The projects start with a clean-up at Lions Park in Port Coquitlam, this Saturday, July 14, with several opportunities for helping out taking place throughout the week. There’s also a nature walk planned in Coquitlam, Port Moody and PoCo.
It all concludes on Saturday, July 21 at 7 p.m. at the TD Community Plaza at Lafarge Lake where comedian Leland Klassen will provoke a few laughs with his clean brand of comedy, and award-winning band The Tourist Company will get the crowd hopping.
Jonsson said he hopes Love My City will become an annual event and include more ways to help out.
For now, people are encouraged to sign up to participate in an event on the website at www.lovemycityweek.com.
It's free to participate, and Jonsson says, a lot of fun. "it’s a grassroots movement, I think if we get 300 people out loving their city, it will be great."
