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Tim Hortons cleans up By Brice Roy SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER On Friday, employees at Tim Hortons corporate locations across Canada contributed part of their day to help clean up their communities. As part of the seventh annual corporate cleanup event, employees at Tim Hortons head office in Oakville spent 20 minutes picking up garbage and debris in and around Wyecroft Road. "We do this every year around Earth Day. Everybody participates, this is sort of the flagship program here at (the) head office," said Carol Patterson, manager of environment affairs at Tim Hortons. Lending a hand at the event was Ward 2 Regional Councillor Cathy Duddeck who has participated in the annual cleanup several times. "It's great for Tim Hortons to offer continued support. They have always been a great community partner, this is just another demonstration of that," said Duddeck. "Every year they seem to top it more and more, not just in terms of debris collected, but also in making it a fun event. It's a combined work effort that's lots of fun. We appreciate their efforts." During the event employees split into teams assigned to different areas to clean up. To make the event more interesting the team that brought back the strangest item would take home the coveted Stuffed Seagull. A trophy made of tin cans adorned with the bird. 5 · Wednesday, April 25, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com This year's brave winners of the trophy returned with a dead skunk and an empty package from a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. They had to beat out tough competition from half a couch, a compressor, and several hoola-hoops. "We just started the strangest item idea last year. The winners (then) brought back a guardrail. It just makes the event more fun it's really amazing what you find beside the road," said Patterson. The only disappointing thing about the event was that the employees were cleaning up many of the coffee cups they sell. However, this only provided further motivation. "It speaks volumes when you have cups laying at the side of the road even though we've provided receptacles right beside the bus stop," said NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog Patterson. "It does provide a testament to our need to ready to work: Maria Garcia and Natalie Uroda lead the cleanup charge as Tim Hortons continue to educate our guests about responsible employees march out to pick up garbage during the seventh annual corporate cleanup on Friday. management of their packaging when they're done." The spirit and success of the event is something Duddeck would like to see other local businesses duplicate. "I would love for other businesses to follow their example. There's lots out there that could rise to the challenge and they only have to see what we accomplished here today to see how to do it," said Duddeck. "Twenty minutes a day is very small in the big picture. If we all pitch in, it helps the broader community." TKR2542 TKR2542 We sell the most homes in Canada. Let us help you sell yours. www.remaxaboutowne.com Aboutowne Reality Corp., Brokerage 905-338-9000 (Downtown Office) 905-842-7000 (Uptown Office) Independently owned and operated.