It was a near-perfect day for the annual Steinbach Pickup and Walk on Saturday, May 2, and the community showed up in a big way. Martin Gunter with Southland Church says the event saw just over 1,000 people take part, making it the largest turnout in 6 years. “The crowds were amazing, yes, and it was a great day,” said Gunter. “I think we had just over 1,000 people show up for it.” Record-breaking cleanup effort Along with the strong turnout came a massive cleanup result. Volunteers collected a total of 11,130 kilograms of garbage, doubling what was picked up the year before. “That is a record for us since COVID, absolutely,” Gunter said. “But I think the big record is we cleaned up just over 11 tonnes of garbage, which is double what we did last year.” Even organizers were surprised by the final number, especially since conditions were dry. “We expected maybe six or seven tons because it is so dry, and it didn’t look that dirty,” he explained. “But for some reason, there was just a lot to clean up this year.” Related Stories: Community effort shines during annual Pick Up and Walk Event Drivers urged to watch for volunteers during community cleanups Community invited to annual Pick Up and Walk this Saturday A community effort rooted in unity While not officially a church event, the Steinbach Pickup and Walk is largely supported and organized by local churches working together behind the scenes. Gunter says that unity and the willingness of people to give up their time made the day especially meaningful. “I’ll be honest, it was a very emotional one for me, seeing so many people willing to give up their Saturday for the community,” he said. “Not to do something selfish, but actually do something for somebody else and their community.” He added that the strong church involvement plays a key role in the community’s spirit. “It’s not a church event per se, but it’s the church in the background fueling this and moving this forward. So I absolutely love that.” Thanks to volunteers and drivers Gunter also shared his appreciation for the many people who made the event safe and successful, including drivers who slowed down and gave space to volunteers working along roadways. “I just want to give a big thank you to everybody who came out,” he said. “And thank you to the drivers… giving a wide berth to people picking up the garbage. Thank you so much for considering them and making this day a success.” Helping the city in a big way Beyond cleaning up streets and ditches, the event also helped the City of Steinbach save valuable time and resources. “It’s amazing to see that we can at least help the city too,” said Gunter. “They can use that money for other things that can really benefit our community.” With record participation and a huge cleanup total, this year’s Steinbach Pickup and Walk stands out as one of the most successful yet, highlighting what can happen when a community comes together for a common cause. *With files from Corny Rempel