For Squamish students and local media, it was a day that would live in infamy.
“Until next year, Mayor Heintzman,” said Kathy Cormack, a teacher heading the Howe Sound Secondary eco club, which had just been bested in a trash picking competition.
The District of Squamish won the annual Fastest Picker Contest on Thursday, crushing any hope teams representing Howe Sound Secondary students or local media could lay claim to the title of fastest garbage-picker.
With a grin and a few joyful exclamations, Mayor Patricia Heintzman clasped the fastest-picker trophy, which was presented by the leotard-clad superhero, Recycleman.
Garbage picking, the act of literally picking up trash strewn over the ground, has been a high-stakes sport in the District of Squamish for years.
The Fastest Picker Contest has long been a way to settle scores – both real and imagined – between teams that are formed from members of local governance, students and the press, including The Chief and Mountain FM.
For reasons unknown, it was decided that gathering garbage from the grounds of Howe Sound Secondary would be an ideal way to measure the quality and character of individuals and teams.
Hence, it has since been a sport pursued with the same vigour and zeal many would associate with what some may consider to be more “serious” sports, such as soccer or hockey.
In a post-game interview, Cormack vowed to take the trophy from the District and said her team would be committed to an intensive cardio and light-weightlifting routine.
The regimen, she reasoned, would give her team the ability to move swiftly and gather garbage with maximum efficiency.
When asked for the comment, the District team, in true Canadian fashion, was too polite to talk about the win, instead directing the questions to the District spokesperson, who in turn directed the comments back to the team.
In the end, no comment was actually made.
In getting ready for next year, The Chief, knowing that the other teams probably have the edge in cardio, will train for the competition by focusing on cultivating its strength – nimble fingers, a product of constant keyboarding.
The yearly event coincides with the District’s annual Pitch-In Week, which encourages environmental improvement in the area.
