The Humber River Pals (HRP) is a collective dedicated to hosting cleanups and inspiring volunteers to care for the Humber River since May 2021.
Have you been wanting to help out your neighbourhood and meet new people? Now’s your chance!
The group has been hosting events throughout the years with special programming add-ons such as art projects, free bike tune-ups and more.
Ikinori Lau, co-founder of HRP, said, “It’s just a beautiful experience to be out here and not feel alone, not feel like you’re the only one who cares about beautifying and protecting the earth.”
Lau also expressed that HRP is an important initiative for Weston as it’s a dense high-rise neighbourhood, with new immigrants to Toronto who may feel isolated or not aware of volunteer opportunities in the city.
According to the City of Toronto’s neighbourhood profile, most new immigrants to Weston are from Somalia, Nigeria, Jamaica and other places in the Americas and Africa.
Since 2021, Lau has heard positive feedback about how meaningful events like the ones HRP hosts bring people together in a community-focused way by nature.
“It brings us all together regardless of our different walks of life under a mission to protect the Humber,” Lau said. “I hope that this initiative continues for many more years and it brings West End locals as well as lovers of nature from all parts of the GTA together.”
The Humber River Pals spent Sunday, July 19, cleaning up the Humber River with volunteers from across the neighbourhood. : Julia Lawrence/The Green Line.
So, if you’ve been searching for a way to give back to the city you call home, meet people at zero cost and make a change, visit one of HRP’s events this year.
HRP will be hosting their next cleanup in September, so be sure to follow them on Instagram and stay up to date on their upcoming activities.
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